Left Behind: SG1
by ChristianGateFan
Summary: When billions vanish, including one of SG1's own, the team looks for answers. What they find changes their lives forever, and throws them into the battle of the ages. What happens when they stand in the way of the most evil enemy they will ever face?
1. The Vanishings

Yay, new story! I hope you all enjoy it. :) Granted, I might be going a little out on a limb here, but something told me to write this. You'll understand what I mean once you get into it--maybe not in this first chapter, but you will. At least I hope you will. Just please don't yell at me for this, whatever you do. I really do want your opinions. Unless you're interested I won't continue, so I really need to hear from you, as...different as this story is. So anyway, please, 'please' review and tell me what you think, and I'll be waiting to hear from you. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, or Left Behind. I am not writing this for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended, etc. These are not my worlds; I just threw them together.

Left Behind: SG-1

Cameron Mitchell was the last back through the stargate, and he stepped out of the wormhole onto the metal grating in the SGC's 'gate room to the comforting sight of his team milling at the bottom of the ramp, already gearing down.

"Ya'll still up for movie night?" he questioned as he came down the ramp after them. They looked up at him as he stepped off onto the floor.

"Are you crazy? It's almost midnight here," Daniel answered, pulling off his vest and heading toward the door. "I'm heading home for some _sleep_."

Vala started to follow him. "But, Daniel, it's _only_ midnight. Couldn't we do _something_ before bed?" she whined suggestively.

He glanced back at her and almost glared for a moment, then rolled his eyes dismissively and kept going. "Later, guys."

"Yeah, you'll be sorry you missed 'Back to the Future'!" Cameron called after him.

Sam straightened from taking her pack off. "Really? That's what we were going to watch? I love those movies. I don't know why McKay hates them."

Vala drooped back over to them, sulking. "What is that?" she asked dejectedly.

"It is yet another popular earth culture film that you must see, Vala MalDoran," Teal'c answered.

"Well, actually it's a trilogy of movies," Cameron corrected.

"I am aware of that, Colonel Mitchell, but Daniel Jackson is correct. It I late. We should retire." Teal'c nodded to them and headed out himself. "Good night."

"Yeah, good night," Cameron answered.

"'Night, Teal'c."

"Later, muscles."

"Well, _I_ can't sleep now. We're behind on a couple of projects in my department, so I'll probably be pulling an all-nighter," Sam sighed once the jaffa was gone. "Or a rest-of-the-nighter. Whatever."

"Aww, come on, Sam…"

She shrugged. "Sorry, got a lot of work to do. Catch you later." With that, Sam waved and left as well.

Cameron sighed. "And then there were two."

"_I'll_ watch a movie with you," Vala offered.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Nothing better to do?" She grinned sheepishly. "Fine."

* * *

Daniel Jackson was dead tired. They'd been on P34-373 for several days, starting relations with the locals. It was fascinating work for him, but the time difference between the two different continents on their two different worlds had taken their toll on him. Now SG-1 had finally been able to hand over the dealings to a diplomatic team, and had come home. Even though it was midday on the planet they'd left, it was the middle of the night here, and he hadn't had a lot of sleep in the past week. That was exactly what he planned on doing as soon as he got home. 

He'd gotten as far as turning off the highway toward his neighborhood before, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

* * *

Cameron dropped onto the couch in front of the television in the room Vala had claimed at the SGC. Since it was just the two of them for movie night, there was no need to go to anyone's house with the group; Vala had acquisitioned a DVD player and TV months ago. 

"Well, come on--press play," Vala urged eagerly.

Cam grinned at her and picked up the remote. "All right, all right, I hear y-" He stopped suddenly, and time to seemed to slow. In a single fraction of a second, several things happened at once. He heard loudly and clearly the sound of a trumpet, remembered as if it were yesterday the purposely-forgotten prayer he had made with his grandmother as a child, Vala and the room around him disappeared…and Cameron discovered without a shadow of a doubt that his grandma had been right all along.

* * *

Sam tapped her pen against the top of the table in thought. "Well, if that doesn't work, maybe we should try a different scanner." 

Hannah Gerber looked up from her microscope. "That might work. Do you really think we'll be able to identify this substance though? It's so completely different from anything we've seen before."

Sam shrugged at her fellow scientist. "That's not unusual when it comes to alien planets, Hannah. If we can't relate it to anything else, or identify it as similar to something we already know, we can always name it ourselves," she grinned.

"Good point," Hannah smiled. The woman was young a recent edition to the science department of the SGC, but she was brilliant and Sam enjoyed working with her. The only downside was that if they needed to work overtime on something, Hannah would never agree to do it on Sundays.

"I wish we could just contact the Asgard," Sam sighed.

"I know," Hannah sighed. "I never met one, but I heard a lot about them. It seems so wrong sometimes that they're gone now."

Sam huffed and spun her chair away from the table, facing the other wall for a moment. "It's not fair."

"Everything happens for a purpose, Sam."

"Oh, don't go into _that_--" Sam groaned, turning back to her friend….but she wasn't there. Could she have walked off in the five seconds since she'd finished speaking and Sam had turned around?

A pinging sound rang from the other side of the table. Frowning, Sam stood and came around it. "Hannah?"

Sam stopped and stared at what she saw on the other side. Hannah's wedding ring was on the floor rolling toward her. It stopped by her foot as Sam traced its path back with her eyes to where a pile of clothes, shoes, a ponytail holder, and a lab jacket sat on the floor as if they had just fallen. Obviously they had.

It took a few seconds for the shock to wear off.

"Hannah!" Sam shouted.

Then the alarms went off.

* * *

Daniel watched in horror as the dark silhouette of the person in the vehicle in front of him disappeared. In a second, the quiet of the night drive home became a blare of screeching tires, shrieking horns, and screaming. He slammed on the brake and swerved, but it was too late to avoid hitting the car. At least the somehow-unmanned vehicle cushioned the impact with the telephone pole--though that didn't stop Daniel's head from jerking forward into the steering wheel and knocking his world into blackness.

* * *

Vala stared at the place on the couch where Cameron Mitchell had been just seconds before almost a full minute before she screamed. 

"Cameron!" She jumped up off the couch. All of his clothes, his dog tags, and the television remote he'd been holding were sitting on the seat, his pants hanging off the edge and leading to his shoes that sat on the floor. She felt her heat pounding a mile-a-minute already.

"Cameron, stop it! You can't do this to me; it's not funny! Those cloaking things are not toys, and how did you get it to do that to your clothes, anyway? Normally I'd be a little bit interested in the idea of you running around my room naked, but it's no fun when I can't _see_ you!" It sounded completely ridiculous, but it was the only explanation she could come up with. Unfortunately, she didn't think it was the right one.

And there was no answer, no responding shimmer of the air to bring him back, no nothing.

"Please? I don't like this Cameron, stop. Cameron!!"

Vala could feel tears in her eyes and tried to blink them back, but her eyes betrayed her. Something told her Cameron wasn't coming back.

"CAMERON!"

Blindly, she pushed open the door of her room and ran. She didn't care where, but she couldn't stay in there. The emergency alarms went off as she ran, but she hardly noticed and didn't connect it with what she had seen. She didn't stop until she ran into a solid, warm black wall that caught her.

"Vala MalDoran! You must calm yourself," Teal'c said firmly, holding onto her when she struggled to get away.

Vala pulled back and looked up at him, realizing now who he was. "Teal'c! Cameron's gone! He just disappeared into thin air; I don't know what happened, I--"

The jaffa's hands tightened on her shoulders a bit. "Colonel Mitchell has vanished as well?"

"Yea--wait, _as well_?"

Teal'c nodded. "Many have disappeared from the SGC. More than one has seen in happen, and I myself have seen piles of clothes in the corridors."

"What's going on?" Vala asked weakly, wiping the tears from her face. So it wasn't an isolated incident. People were gone. A lot of people.

"I do not know," he admitted solemnly.

"What do you mean you don't know? This is some kind of alien attack, isn't it? It has to be."

"I do not know," Teal'c said again.

"Sam!" Vala gasped suddenly. "She's still here, too. She was going to work. We have to find her."

The jaffa nodded in agreement. "Indeed."

_If_ she wasn't gone too.

* * *

Sam glanced up when the emergency alarms started blaring, then bolted. When she got to the control room, General Landry was there. The man seemed to have aged ten years in the few minutes since she'd seen him through the control room window from the 'gate room before heading to her office. 

"What happened?"

Landry turned to her quickly. "Colonel Carter! It's good to see you. There's no way of knowing…"

"Knowing what?" Sam gulped.

The general's face looked haunted. "Of knowing who's still here and who's not. We've been getting calls in from all over the base about people disappearing--right out of their clothes. It happened here too"

It hadn't just been Hannah. People were vanishing all over the SGC. What was happening!

Sam glanced around the room and saw a pile of clothes in the rolling chair that sat in front of the iris monitor. The nametag sat at an angle on the top of the pile: it read Harriman. Walter…

"Oh no," she swallowed, paling. "I-I didn't see it. I was turned around, but I looked back and my research assistant was just _gone_."

"The story of the moment, colonel," Landry replied grimly. And now that Sam thought about it, she remembered passing two or three blurs on the floor on the way here that must have been piled of clothes too.

The alarms were still sounding, and finally the general seemed to have had enough. "Would someone shut those things off! Leave the emergency lighting, but _stop that noise_!" Landry shouted.

When no-one moved to touched the vacated console where that command could be executed--the spot Walter Harriman had been sitting--Sam swallowed and did it herself. Moments later the wailing sirens obediently cut off, leaving Stargate Command in a deafening, red silence.


	2. Into the Fire

Thank you all for your responses to chapter one! This story is so interesting to write--I get to put two of my favorite things together! I'm glad you find it interesting too; it sure is to me. If you're out there and you like it and you didn't say anything...please do. And of course if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. I'll respond asap, I promise. :)

So anyway, here's chapter two! Please enjoy it, and have fun, and please let me know what you think. That always helps. :) Thanks again.

Chapter 2

When she and Teal'c couldn't find Sam in her lab, or anywhere else in the science department, Vala began to worry. At the moment, the only thing keeping her sane was the fact that none of the few piles of clothes they _had_ found had looked like Carter's.

"Perhaps we should search for her in the control room and briefing room," Teal'c suggested, looking a bit tense himself.

"Good idea…" Vala sighed. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door to the corridor and headed with the jaffa back out into the pandemonium that the SGC had become. Being late at night, there wasn't even a full staff there, but there were enough people to create havoc.

They found the control room all but abandoned, with only a silent Seargeant Siler keeping watch over the room.

"Where is everybody?" Vala questioned.

He motioned up the stairs toward the control room. "Up there," he intoned flatly. Vala sighed and thanked him, then gave him a quick pat on the arm before bolting up the metal steps with Teal'c just behind her.

There were several people in the conference room: General Landry looking a little lost but still very much in charge, various department heads that had still been on base when the disaster had occurred…and Sam.

"Vala, Teal'c!" the colonel called, running over to them. "Thank goodness. I was about to come looking for you," she said, hugging them both. Vala returned the embrace tightly before Sam moved on to Teal'c. When she let go of the jaffa she glanced behind them. "Where's Cameron?" she asked hesitantly.

Vala swallowed and shook her head.

"Oh no," Sam groaned, sinking into a chair. "Walter and one of my research assistants are gone too."

"Walter's gone?" Vala squeaked.

Sam nodded wordlessly, leaning over to rest her head in her hands. A moment later she looked back up. "What about Daniel?"

Vala shrugged. "He went home, so he should be fine…"

* * *

Daniel groaned as consciousness returned. His head hurt horribly, and all he could hear was screaming and shouting, horns and sirens…Carefully, he sat up. He grimaced when he saw the blood on the top of the steering wheel. He didn't have to wonder where it had come from; the broken windshield and the warm dampness he could feel on the left side of his head answered that question.

The rearview mirror was still intact, so after struggling with his seatbelt until it finally snapped off, Daniel took a look at the wound. It was only one gash on his forehead, just above his temple. It had already stopped bleeding. That probably meant he'd been out for a little while. He tried to restart the car, but to no avail. Then he actually looked out the window and realized why: the entire front section of the vehicle was smashed. He was never going to get _this_ thing to work again.

Grunting, he levered his door open, grabbed his jacket with his cell phone in the pocket and got out of the car. Daniel squinted as he stood, swaying as he felt dizziness pressing in along with the relentless pounding in his skull--it was possible he had a minor concussion. The air outside his car was stuffy and hot with crackling fires from other nearby wrecks and the smell of burning rubber, metal…and flesh. He glanced back at the highway, and realized that many hadn't been as fortunate as he was. His eyes went wide at the devastation. Wrecks and fires littered the highway and a few more on the neighborhood roads he'd been turning on to. A couple of houses were burning from cars that had crashed into them.

But what had made them crash? He remembered the silhouette of the driver in front of his disappearing, and trying to get out of the way…but not much else. The car he had crashed into was smashed between his and the telephone pole and was pretty much inaccessible, so he shuffled toward a nearby truck that had driven off the road and was stuck in the ditch. He couldn't see anyone inside, and the door was shut, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. The driver could have gone for help by now.

Gulping, Daniel pulled open the door of the truck…and found himself face with nothing but a pair of empty clothes lying haphazardly on the driver's seat. He jerked back.

"What the--"

He glanced around again. People were running in between houses and gathering the streets, half of them hysterical, and the other half stunned-looking or curious. As quickly as his aching head would allow him, he made his way over to the nearest group.

"What happened?" he questioned, trying to pitch his voice louder than the tumult around him. "Hello? What's going on!"

A middle-aged woman near him at the edge of the crowd turned to him, eyes wide with fear. "People disappeared," she told him. "They just disappeared, into thin air, just like that…so many of them…"

Daniel swallowed hard. Having the type of job he did, the first thought that came to mind was an alien attack on earth, some type of weapon they hadn't heard about…but why would it be so selective? If aliens that didn't like them had a weapon that could wipe humans from existence so cleanly, why not kill all of them? And there was something else, too, pulling for attention at the back of his mind, but he ignored it. It wasn't that. That didn't make any more sense than the alien story did.

"Daniel!"

He spun at the sound of his name to see a haggard-looking Cassandra Fraiser standing across the street, looking every bit as desperate as the rest of people out here.

"Cassie!" She didn't seem to have the energy to do more than take a couple of steps off the curb toward him, so he went to her. As soon as he had his arms around her, she slumped against his chest and dissolved into tears.

"They're gone, th-they're just _gone_," she sobbed shuddering.

Daniel hugged her firmly, holding on for dear life almost as hard as she was. He didn't want to admit it to anyone else--but he was scared.

"What is it? Who's gone?" he asked without letting go.

"The kids. The baby and the little girl, the toddler. I w-was baby sitting for some people I've known for a while. I was checking o-on the kids, they were sleeping…but then they just disappeared!" Cassie explained quickly, bordering on the hysterical. "Right in front of me, I saw it. They were there, and then they were gone. The sheets dropped, and they're clothes stayed there, and they were _gone!_ A-and then I found out that their parents had just pulled in the driveway. Heir car was there, but their clothes were on the ground by the car, like they'd just gotten out; they were gone too! Daniel, what's going on, what's happening. Something's _wrong…"_ she cried.

Daniel pulled her back a bit to look the young woman in the face, and shook her a bit. "Cassie! Listen to me, you've got to calm down. It'll be all right."

"No it won't," she sniffed. "People are gone. It wasn't just them. People all over this neighborhood are gone, and it looks like people all over the highway too, all the crashes…" Her eyes drifted past him, and he turned to glance with her back at the fire-spotted highway again. When he looked back at her she was looking at him too.

"What's happening?" she asked again, eyes boring into him.

Daniel gulped again. "I don't know. Look, my house is just a couple of streets over from here. Let's go," he suggested, turning her around and pointing her in the right direction.

"I know," she mumbled, moving. "I was there when we all helped you move into it when you got it after you descended the first time, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember, sorry," Daniel sighed. "I just can't think so well right now."

Cassie glanced at him as they walked away from the pandemonium near the highway exit. "Is your head okay? What happened?"

Daniel winced and brought a hand up to his forehead. "The driver in the car in front of me vanished. I crashed into it and a telephone pole."

"Ouch," she flinched. "You ought to get that checked out. You could have a concussion."

"Don't I know it," he groaned. "But I don't have time for that now." He glanced back at the roads again. "Not to mention it would probably be impossible."

* * *

"Quiet! I need everybody quiet!" General Hank Landry shouted above the noise. The general had mustered enough wits to announce over the intercom system to try to calm the panic at the SGC, and ordered _all_ personnel still there to the 'gate room, just to gather them all. Not the older man stood at the bottom of the 'gate ramp, looking out over the myriad faces of the people under his command all of them had some level of fear, concern, or confusion on their faces, and he wished he could fix it all. But unfortunately, he was about to give them news that would probably only make it worse.

"Shouldn't we be going into a lockdown?" someone asked.

"What's going on?"

"Where we attacked?"

"Hey, he said _quiet!_" one voice rang louder.

Hank gave his daughter an appreciative glance as the room quieted again, and Carolyn gave him a brief encouraging smile as she stood beside the three members of SG-1 that were here. One of the other two was among the missing…and the fate of the last was unknown.

"Thank you," he said finally. "I know you're all scared, and I'm not above admitting that I'm a little frightened too. You'll know why when I tell you what I'm about to tell you." Landry sighed a then took a deep breath and continued. "I've been listening to the radios--the televisions are out, but we still have those--and trying to make phone calls. I haven't been able to get any calls out, but I've been able to gather from the radio news reports that this incident was not confined to Stargate Command."

There was a collective indrawn breath.

"There have been reports from all over Colorado Springs of missing people--people vanishing out of their clothes just like here--as well as reports from all over the state of Colarado, and other states…well, right now we can be sure that this event was at _least_ nationwide."

Now there was a gasp, as well as numerous expletives and shouts, and Landry had to quiet them down again. He'd heard things they were saying, about getting out to check on their families and such…but that issue had to be addressed as well.

"All right, all right, I also know that you're all concerned about your loved ones, but with people just disappearing there have been a lot of wrecks, planes falling out of the air, power outages, and phone lines that aren't working. I think it would be wise if we all stayed here for the time being. We have supplies for months, but we should only need them for a few days."

"Is staying here and order, sir?" one shell-shocked looking young man asked.

Hank sighed. "No, son, in these circumstances, I'm not going to make it an order--but I strongly suggest it." Then glanced back up at the rest of the small crowd. "That's all for now. You're free to go--or stay."

The gathering dissipated, most assuring him that they were going to stay right where they were and heading to find a spare room to claim, but one or two--including the young man who'd spoken up--bolted straight for the door. Landry shook his head, but didn't stop them. The roads were reported to be a mess, and he had told them that; they would find out for themselves soon enough.

* * *

Sam, Vala, and Teal'c crashed in Teal'cs room after the gathering. Vala's was more comfortably furnished, but none of them wanted to go in there. Vala herself, at the moment, was sitting on the edge of the bed struggling with the phone.

"I'm not getting anything but static when I try to dial his home phone, and his cell phone won't connect at all," Vala growled on frustration, slamming the device back on the receiver again.

"I'm sure Daniel's fine," Sam assured her--though she wished she could be as sure as she made her voice sound.

Vala gulped. "Why aren't we doing something about this?" she questioned sourly. We should be looking for answers right now, or already going through the stargate or up in a ship to kick the alien but that did this, not sitting around helplessly."

"There's nothing we _can_ do right now," Sam sighed from her perch on a nearby chair, resting her chin on her pulled-up knees. "Phones, Tvs, cell phones, a lot of power…a lot of thins are down all over. We're running on the generators right now. We couldn't dial the 'gate if we wanted too. We really don't have any way of doing anything to solve this right now. Besides…we wouldn't know where to start even if we did."

Vala sniffed and nodded, but Sam could see the tears in her eyes. She felt more sting her own. "We'll find him, Vala. We'll fine both of them."

Teal'c sat up straighter in his own chair. "We will find all of them," he corrected.

Vala looked up at the jaffa, eyes still wet. "But what if we can't? What if this isn't some alien kidnapping, or if it is aliens they didn't take them, but they killed them and they're all dead? What if we can't solve this at all? What if it can't _be_ solved?"

Sam stared at her. "I don't know," she admitted.

* * *

Daniel and Cassie turned onto his street. Once farther from the highway, it had gotten quieter, and there had been a lot less damage, but here was a wreck right near the end of the street, and a couple of unscathed cars stopped at the light with empty clothes in the seats. The dim lighting of the moon and the few street lights that still worked flickered from a fire farther down the road. Cassie shuddered and walked closer to him.

"We're almost there," he soothed quietly, putting an arm around her shoulders. But he became more and more uneasy as they drew closer to his house. Finally, when they were close enough, he realized that the fire they'd seen the light from when they were farther away had been cause by yet another crash--and it was _his _house on fire.

"Daniel! Isn't that--"

Daniel's heart dropped into his stomach for a moment. "Yeah." There was a second of stunned silence before he burst into action, grabbed Cassie's arm and ran toward the house.

A car was wrecked and smoking in front of it, half on the pavement and half on the grass, and another had gone straight in through his living room. Much of the front part of the house was burning. He could already see that the living room was already unsalvageable, but the rest…

"Come on, there's a faucet and hose around back!" he explained at Cassie's confused and frightened expression.

The rest they could do something about.


	3. Washington

IMPORTANT NOTE: When I post chapter 4 tomorrow, I will be changeing the title of this story to "Left Behind: SG-1". I was thinking about where this story would go later, and realized that 'Stargate Command' would not fit. It's about SG-1, so that seemed more appropriate.

So anyway, thank you so much for the response to this story! I'm so glad you all like the idea. This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to hear what you think of this new chapter, and I hope all of you will continue to review, because it helps a whole lot. e-mail sever is still down, but I plan on trying to update most every day (because for some reason this story is just coming so fast. whee!) so just check back here. Thanks!

Chapter 3

The phone on the bedside table rang loudly, pulling Jack O'Neill out of a sound sleep. Grumbling to himself, he threw his arm out to land on top of the phone, and pulled the device to his ear while he glanced at the clock.

"Hello?"

"General O'Neill, sir?"

It was the voice of his assistant. The caller I.D. read the number of his offices at the Pentagon, but what the man was doing in the office at this hour was anyone's guess. The tone of the younger man's voice was urgent, stressed, and maybe even frightened, but Jack wasn't in a position to register all of that at the moment.

"This better be good, Baker. It's four in the morning."

"Uh, yes sir, I know sir—but this is an emergency."

"What kind of emergency?" Jack mumbled. "Did I forget to file my paperwork again?"

"Uhm, no sir, this is a lot bigger."

Jack slowly sat up, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "How much bigger? Alien attack kind of big?" he asked, finally starting to get awake enough to be seriously interested.

"We don't know, sir."

"Captain, what do you mean, you don't know?" Jack barked.

He could almost hear Baker cringing. "I mean no-one knows, general, but…" He trailed off and took a deep breath. "Millions of people are missing, sir."

"_Missing_?"

"They just vanished, right out of their clothes. They were there one minute and gone the next. I-I was here at the office because I couldn't sleep, and I saw it happen to someone. They were just poof, gone. I can't describe it any better then that."

The hand in his hair came down to his face. Jack swore quite colorfully, but even though it was quiet, Baker heard it.

"Sir?" he asked worriedly.

"How widespread is this?"

"All over, sir."

"As in over the U.S. or…."

He could hear Baker gulp. "No sir, as in worldwide."

Now, Jack was used to weird and impossible things happening, but…

"Who would do this? Who _could_ do this? The Ori and all their ships and their crazy little soldiers are out of the picture; even Baal's gone now."

"We _don't know_, sir. That's why I called. We need you to come into the office, now."

Jack sighed. "Yeah, no kidding. I'll be there as fast as I can."

"Just be careful, general. The roads are a mess. People disappearing, leaving their cars unmanned…there are a lot of wrecks and downed power lines to watch out for."

"Thanks Baker…hey, what about the SGC? How hard hit was Colorado?"

"Uhm, not entirely sure, sir. Colorado lost just as many people as any other state, I guess. But a lot of phone lines are down or crowded too, and we haven't been able to contact Stargate Command yet."

Jack swallowed and nodded to no-one in particular. "All right. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Good luck, sir," Baker offered.

"Yeah…"

* * *

Daniel ran around to the back of the house, Cassie on his heels. He snatched up the hose from the ground and opened the back door, while Cassie turned the knob up as far as the pressure would go.

"What now?" she asked, looking a little concerned about the prospect of just barging in there.

"I'll go in and do what I can with this. If you want to help to, then get more water from the kitchen. It's here at the back of the house so that's not dangerous."

"Okay…" Cassie nodded.

Daniel nodded back and offered a reassuring smile before going in. There was no damage in the immediate area, not even any fire yet, but the smoke was thick. Covering his nose and mouth, he made his way to the living room at the front. Almost the entire living room and entryway were engulfed in flames, and now they were licking at the hallway. Quickly he turned the hose on at his end, and the water spewed from the end to water the flames.

Cassie ran in a moment or so later with a bucket and dumped it, then ran back for more. As Daniel used the hose, she did this three or four times before she seemed to realize that it wasn't doing much good. After the fourth time she dropped the bucket, grabbed a blanket that had gone unscathed, and started to beat out the flames that weren't to large to get near.

"Be careful!" Daniel called to her.

"I am!" was all she said.

It took a while, but finally the flames were out, leaving the room a black, smoldering wreck.

"So much for the living room," Daniel sighed, turning off the hose and dropping it where he was. Cassie dropped the now-scorched blanket she'd been using to smother the fire and sighed.

"Wow…no kidding. I'm really sorry about this."

Daniel shrugged and staggered back towards the kitchen; with the adrenaline gone, exhaustion took over. He was too tired to care much beyond being in shock. Cassie followed him, and made sure he sat down in one of the chairs at the small table there in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'll be fine. Thanks for helping," he sighed. His elbows came up to rest on the table and let his head drop into them.

Cassie sat down in the next chair. "With…well, everything going on, it'll probably be while before you can get it fixed…what are you going to do until then?"

"Having a living room isn't mandatory…I can still stay here."

He couldn't see her with his eyes pressed into his hands, but he was pretty sure from the very teenage noise she made that she had rolled her eyes--which was strange, because she wasn't really a teenager anymore.

"No, you can't. Half the house is open to the elements. You'll either freeze to death or burn up--though the first is more likely. This is Colorado, remember?"

Daniel pulled in a deep breath and ended up coughing on the lingering smoke. He sat up again. "Well, we can't stay here tonight; we'll suffocate--_that_ much I know for sure." He stood up. "I'd really like to get back to the SGC, but my car kind of got totaled…"

Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Well, _I _had to get here somehow."

Daniel stood blinking at her for several seconds before the meaning of that registered. "Oh. Right. That's good. Your car would be back at that house you were at, right? Back by the highway?"

She nodded, pulling a set of keys out of her pocket and showing them to him before putting them away again and standing.

"Good, then let's get out of here," he said, starting for the back door.

Cassie stopped him. "Not so fast, bucko. You need to let me see about that head first."

"Cassie, I'm fine," he protested.

Her hands went to her hips. "Look, I want to make sure everyone else is all right just as much as you do, but it won't help if you pass out on me before we even get back to my car, because no offense, but I can't carry or drag you."

Daniel looked at her for a moment, and almost smiled at the amount of Janet Fraiser that radiated from her adopted daughter.

"All right," he relented, sitting back down.

Cassie nodded. "Where's your first aid kit?"

"Under the sink in the bathroom in the hallway…I think."

She nodded and moved off to find it.

* * *

Dressed, but unshaven because he hadn't bothered to take the time, Jack stepped out of his apartment in Washington D.C. and was immediately faced with evidence of what had occurred. Right there, across the hallway, was a pile of clothing that had dropped in front of his neighbor's apartment door, next to the set of keys his neighbor had been about to let himself into his apartment with.

Jack stared for a moment, then shuddered and quickly walked to the elevator. But it only got worse once he was outside. Sirens, car horn, and the shouts of frightened people assaulted his ears as he pushed through the glass double front doors and walked out into the parking lot. Just from where he was he could see that the power in much of D.C. was down, and he could already spot numerous wrecks. On the horizon he could even see a plane that had gone down.

People disappearing had done this? And this was happening all over the world?

Jack climbed into his truck, started the engine and pulled out, but he could already see that it was going to be a long and tricky drive to get to the office. He pulled out his cell phone and started dialing Daniel's number, just in case it managed to get through.

* * *

"Ow."

Cassie sighed as she finished cleaning the wound on Daniel's forehead and grabbed some gauze and tape. "Sorry. You do learn a lot when you had a doctor for a mom, but it's kinda hard to see in here."

"It's okay, I understand." She taped the piece of gauze over the gash, then started packing up the first aid kit again. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she smiled briefly. She closed the case. "We should probably take this with us; I've only got a tiny one in the car. You should probably bring some clothes with you too. If we can actually get to the SGC, there's no telling when you'll be able to get back here again."

"Good point," Daniel sighed, standing again. "I'll be right back." She nodded, and he retreated to his bedroom, where he grabbed a suitcase that was neither too big to carry or too small to be helpful, stuffed it with clothes he usually wore, and his regular toiletry items from his bathroom, then zipped it and went back out to the kitchen, where Cassie was waiting for him.

"Let's go," he announced. The phone ringing stopped him before he could get any farther. Cassie's eyes went wide.

"It actually works?"

"Go figure…" Daniel mussed, going over to it. It started to ring a second time, but then sputtered and went silent. He only caught a glance at the number, but recognized it immediately. "It's Jack!"

"It is?"

"Yes!" A moment later the phone sputtered to life again, but only got halfway through one ring before dying again--not even enough time for Daniel to grab for it. Apparently the connection wasn't working well enough. It had been Jack's cell phone number, and if this was all over, then there were probably a lot of cell towers down.

Daniel and Cassie waited in silence for another few minutes, but nothing happened. Daniel sighed, changed the answering machine message to tell anyone that happened to call that he was 'at work', and then told her that they'd better go. It wasn't going to work now.

But at least now he knew Jack was still here and alive. That helped a lot--now they just had to get back to Stargate Command to check on the others, and hope Jack could get a call through sometime soon.

* * *

He couldn't get through to Daniel's, or Carter's, or the SGC itself…nothing was working. His cell phone wasn't getting enough signal. Jack growled and frustration and threw it down on the seat, turning back to the snail-slow traffic on the road in front of him and promising himself that he would check on his friends the first chance he had at a land line that would get through to Colorado.

* * *

Cassie, who had insisted on driving because of Daniel's head, turned off the car radio--and he had no objection. He was sure she was just as disturbed as he was. According to reports, this event wasn't only in this area, or in the United States alone, but it was worldwide. In the blink of an eye, millions of people around the _globe_ had vanished.

Daniel knew that rang a bell, and he even knew _which_ bell…but he didn't want to believe it. He swallowed.

"Cassie…you said you'd known those people for a while, right? The ones you were babysitting for?"

She glanced over at him uneasily. "Yeah…why?"

"What were they like? I mean, what kind of people were they?"

"Why do you want to know?" she asked skeptically.

He sighed. "I'm not sure…I'm just looking for some answers."

Cassie looked at him for another long moment--which was quite all right since what traffic there was was almost at a standstill--then turned her eyes back to the road.

"They're really nice people. They're always very polite and generous, and seem to really care about me…I babysat for them a lot when they would go to church stuff…you know, that kind of people. I really enjoy…enjoyed working for them…" She trailed off as her voice choked. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. We're all upset right now."

Cassie nodded wordlessly, but quickly found an excuse to change the subject when the line of cars snaking around the wrecks moved. "Thank you! Finally…"

Daniel slumped against the door more, unwanted thoughts swirling around in his mind. So the people that Cassie had known who had vanished were Christian…

The couple he'd lived with in one of many foster homes had been Christian. At the moment, he couldn't even remember their names, just that they'd made him come to church with them and their own two children. He hadn't really liked them then, because of that. He'd been too busy reading about the ancient gods and goddesses of Egypt and other dead civilizations to worry about whether there was a real one. He'd never really believed that there was, but then again it had never really mattered to him whether there was one or not. It hadn't been an issue.

He had an uneasy suspicion that he might have to re-evaluate that sooner rather than later.


	4. It's Everywhere

Okidoki, here's chapter four. Please let me know what you think; reviews are very helpful, and I would never be able to write so much without them, lol. Thanks to you who have reviewed. You're such good reviewers, so please continue to do so. :) Enjoy!

Chapter 4

A drive that would usually have taken twenty or thirty minutes took several hours that night, and morning light was already peeking over the mountains when Cassie pulled into the SGC's parking lot. The checkpoint halfway down into the mountain was manned, but the young woman there looked shaken, and only glanced up, recognized them both, and waved them on.

Daniel and Cassie continued down quickly, but didn't know where to look once they were there. A solemn-looking Siler saw them and came over, relief on his face. "Doctor Jackson, you're all right."

Without thinking Daniel brought a hand up to touch the bandage on his head. "Yeah, relatively. Where is everybody?"

Siler shrugged. "Around. I think the people you're looking for are in Teal'c's room."

"Thanks," Daniel nodded, then motioned for Cassie to follow him and took off in that direction. It didn't take long to get to teal'c door, but when they were standing outside of it, he couldn't hear anything coming from inside. Hesitantly he pushed the door open.

He sighed; they were there. Sam and Vala were passed out on the bed, and Teal'c was asleep in a chair nearby. Vala's hand was still wrapped around the phone. But no Cameron. Swallowing and exchanging glances with Cassandra, he moved farther into the room and gently took the phone and set it back in its cradle. Vala stirred, and her eyes opened. She looked up at him, blinking through layers of sleep.

"Daniel…?"

He smiled. "It's me."

She was fully awake in a split second, shooting up onto her knees on the bed so she was eye-level with him, and wrapping her arms around him firmly. "Oh thank goodness; we were so worried about you."

Daniel hugged back tightly. "I'm glad you're all right too."

Sam woke next, sitting up yawning and rubbing her eyes. When she stopped to actually look, her eyes widened. "Daniel, Cassie!" She got up and came around the bed to hug Cassie.

Teal'c sat up and stood a moment later. "Daniel Jackson," he smiled as Vala finally let go of him. "It is good to see that you are well."

"You too, Teal'c." Sam let go of Cassie and moved to hug Daniel. "Hey, Sam…"

Cassie looked around. "Where's Cameron?"

Sam stiffened and slowly let go of him. Vala looked away.

"He vanished as well," Teal'c answered quietly.

Daniel swallowed. "You're sure?"

Vala nodded and gulped. "He was here. I…I saw it happen."

Daniel looked at her for a moment and then pulled her back into his arms.

"Daniel, what are going to do?" she asked, voice muffled in his shirt.

He sighed. "We find answers." Part of him suspected he already knew the answer, but he wasn't ready to accept that. There were still other options to explore.

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur. No-one was really on duty, but they all stayed at the SGC. Eventually the phones, the television stations, and the main power came back up, all over clean-up operations began, and the government began obviously trying to keep life moving on. Schools all over the world were cancelled for the rest of the school year, but life moved on still--though it was almost reluctantly.

After three days, Sam finally ventured out to check on her house, and found it to be just fine. Cameron's apartment building, however, had burned to the ground. Apparently someone had disappeared and left a stove running in there or something.

Sam went back to the SGC after checking, and dropped onto the couch in her room and flipped on the television to check the news. Maybe there would be something better on than there had been yesterday. The government had announced the day before that it 'had been determined' that the cause of the vanishing had been nuclear radiation build-up in the atmosphere from years of testing.

Sam, of course, knew that was bogus. There was just no way. But she figured that not a lot of people knew too much about nuclear radiation, and it had been decided it was something they could tell the world without too much, if any, contradiction. People would believe it. But she knew better. She was beginning to wonder if any of The Powers That Be had _any_ idea what had really happened.

She watched the news for a while, and was just quite confused when there was a knock on the door, and called for whoever it was to come in. The door opened quietly, and Daniel stepped in.

"Hey…how you doing?"

She glanced at him, then back at the TV. "I'm okay. My house is fine. " She sighed. "Cameron's apartment building burned down, though."

Daniel sank onto the couch with her. "Oy…what next?"

Sam shrugged, then frowned. "Hey, you remember that Carpathia guy?"

"The new president of Romania?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Nicolae Carpathia. He's been all over the news since the vanishings."

"I've noticed," Daniel nodded. "I haven't paid much attention, though."

"Well, he just became the Secretary General of the United Nations."

"What?" he questioned, his full attention on her now.

"And that's not all of it. That was _after_ one of the two big business guys that used to back him, something Stonogal, grabbed a gun from one of the guards at a U.N. meeting earlier today, shot the other big business guy, Cothran, then killed himself--right in front of Carpathia, all the U.N. delegates, and a reporter that was there." She couldn't quite believe it herself.

Daniel shook his head. "For cryin' out loud…and what was a reporter doing there?"

"I don't know. I think he knows some people Carpathia knows, so he got invited to sit in. Uhm…Buck Williams, I think."

"Yeah, that name sounds familiar too." He sighed. "None of that makes anymore sense than nuclear radiation."

"You're telling me. _I'm _the one who knows exactly how ridiculous that is."

Daniel sighed. "What about Jack? We haven't heard from him yet."

Sam shook her head. "Not all the phone lines are back up yet. He probably just can't get through. I'm sure he's fine."

"I hope so…" he mussed.

"What I want to know is what the SGC is supposed to do. We have the main power back, so we could dial the stargate if we wanted to…"

Daniel sat up straighter. "Oh, that one I know. General Landry just got a call from the president while you were gone."

"And?"

He sighed. "We're supposed to sit tight for now. The energy and the money is needed elsewhere right now, what with recovery and everything. We can't dial the 'gate."

"Great…"

* * *

Jack looked up wearily as Baker knocked on his open office door. "What is it?"

"Uh, sir we just got word that the phones should be able to get through to Colorado now. You can try calling the SGC."

The moment Baker walked back out the door again, Jack almost launched himself at the phone. He hadn't been back to his apartment in three days. Instead, he'd been stuck here trying to figure out what had _really_ happened despite the government's decision to announce something already, and they hadn't made any progress. He hadn't been able to think about anything besides Daniel, Carter, Teal'c, and Cassie.

Jack dialed Daniel's office number, and the archaeologist picked up after the first ring. "_Jack_?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Are you guys ok over there?"

"_Well, I'm fine…and Sam, Teal'c, and Cassie are fine. We've all been staying on base. It's insane outside."_

"Tell me about it. But I'm just glad you're ok. Did the SGC lose anybody?"

He heard Daniel gulp. _"Yeah, uh…several people here…Cameron and Walter are gone_," he admitted.

"Crap…" Jack swore. And they were both such nice kids too. "Do you guys have any more idea what happened than the pentagon does? We've got nothin'."

"_Oh really? I thought the pentagon was in agreement with the rest of the world's leadership that it was nuclear radiation that caused the vanishings,_" Daniel commented in amusement.

He rolled his eyes. "That story's a load of bull, and you know it."

"_No kidding. I know what that kind of radiation does to a person."_

Jack winced to himself "Yeah…I guess they just wanted something people would believe so everyone would get off their backs about solving this. But we're still trying to figure it out here at Homeworld Security."

"_Yeah, so are we, but we haven't come up with anything yet either. And we just got word from the president that we can't use the stargate until further notice. Apparently they need the money for damage repair._"

"What about incoming wormholes?"

He could hear the shrug in Daniel's voice. "_Well, those don't use much of _our _energy, so if someone contacts _us_ we can talk to them, but we can't let anyone through right now, and we can't dial out._"

"Well, that's helpful," Jack snorted. "Anything else screwy?"

"_Well, I was on the road when it happened, my car got totaled, and another crash sent a minivan into my living room, which got burnt to a crisp, but other than that, no, we're fine._"

Jack had to resist the urge not to gape at thin air. "Your car is totaled and your house burned down?"

"_No, my car is totaled, and my living room is burnt out. The rest of the house is fine. It's Cameron's apartment building that burned to the ground, but that doesn't exactly matter anymore, now does it_?" His voice was way beyond stressed at this point, even though it was obvious he was trying to make light of it all, and Jack wasn't going to have any of it. Jack sighed.

"Just hang tight over there, Daniel. As soon as I can get a free day and flight out there, I'll come."

"_Jack, you don't have to do that; we're fine. I'm fine,_" Daniel protested.

"Maybe so, but after all this, it'll make _me_ feel better if I can see all of you. Do you have a problem with that?"

Daniel sighed now. _"No…I don't have a problem with that. Just don't cut work or anything. Come when you actually have time."_

"Yes, mom."

"_Jack! You…oh, never mind."_

Baker poked his head in at the door and motion that there was another call waiting for Jack. "Uh, Daniel I gotta go."

"_Okay._"

"It's good to know you're okay."

"_Yeah, you too. Call back sometime soon, okay_"

"You can count on it," Jack promised. "Bye."

"_Later_."

Jack hung up feeling a lot better than he had a few minutes before, but he was still uneasy in general. He wouldn't stop until he knew what could have made so many people disappear.

* * *

Just after Daniel hung up the phone, the unscheduled-off-world-activation alarm went off. It was different though, since it wasn't Walter's voice announcing it. Jumping up, Daniel hurried out into the corridor and down to the control room, where he met Sam, Teal'c, and Vala.

"It's Atlantis," Sam whispered to him as he came in.

Daniel looked to the computer monitors, where Elizabeth Weir's tired face dominated the screens.

"What's wrong, Doctor Weir?" General Landry asked, concern in his voice.

"We would have dialed in sooner, but there's a lot going on here. We're missing people, general," Weir reported.

Landry exchanged glances with SG-1. "How many people? What happened?"

Weir swallowed. "We don't know what happened. That's what we've been trying to figure out. They just disappeared into thin air and left their clothes behind. We lost about a fourth of the expedition. What's strange is that all of them were part of a group that usually meets somewhere on Sundays for a Bible study or something…and we heard from the mainland that most of the Ethosians that used to join that group when they still lived in the city are also missing, along with other Ethosians who joined them there when they started their own group." She shook her head. "I just don't know."

Landry shook his head. "Neither to we, but the same thing happened here--on a larger scale. Millions of people all over the world are gone. It happened about three days ago."

"That's right," Weir nodded. "It happened about that long ago here, too. Do think it happened at the exact same time?"

"It could have. Are people missing on any other planets over there?"

She nodded again. "Actually, yes. Many of the planets we've been friends with for a while have missing people…some of them many, some of them just a few, and a couple of them only one or two, but it's all over."

"It's _all over_ the Pegasus galaxy?" Sam asked incredulously.

"How is that possible?" Vala questioned, eyes wide.

"That's what I'd like too know," Weir replied, lips pressed in a thin line.

Landry sighed. "We haven't heard from anyone else in this galaxy yet, but as of right now, I'm pretty sure we will." The general concluded the conversation with Doctor Weir, and the 'gate shut down.

Daniel swallowed, that nagging thought that had been in the back of his mind since this started nipping at him again. "General, do you think this is everywhere? As in…_everywhere_?"

"I don't know," the general admitted. "But it's sure beginning to look like it."


	5. Research

Yike! Sorry didn't mean to take this long getting the next chapter up, but the weekend got busier than I thought it would...only 3 reviews for chapter 4? Thank you to those who did! But please review people...I can't know what you think if you don't tell me, so I won't know if you're still liking the story or what you like about a chapter unless you say something. I have my thing set so anymous reviews are accepted, so even if you don't have an account or don't want me to know who ya are, go for it. :) I can't wait to hear what you all think of this chapter. It took me all weekend to get it right around working on the house, lol. Enjoy:)

Chapter 5

Atlantis wasn't the only other place they heard from that day. The Tok'ra also dialed in, but it was to check on them. Apparently there almost wasn't a planet not affected by the disappearances. It really was everywhere.

After hearing that quite large bit of information, Daniel wandered back to his office in something of a daze. If this had effected the entire known universe, then who had done it? It wasn't nuclear radiation, it wasn't alien abduction, and it probably wasn't even an alien attack, because who would be angry enough or have enough power to take/kill/destroy so many people from so many planets at once. Estimated number on earth were already in the hundreds of millions, and people here at the SGC were estimating total numbers, from all of the planets, at well over a billion or two.

Then what had done it? That nagging little thought in the back of Daniel's mind was bugging him again, and this time he couldn't ignore it. Almost of their own accord, Daniel's legs carried him over to a corner shelf in his office, near his desk, where he slid one battered, leather-bound book out and into his hands. Then he backed into his desk chair and sat down slowly, looking it over.

It was an old Bible that had belonged to his grandmother on his father's side. He hadn't taken it out in years, but it held much value to him. He had never actually met his grandmother on that side, but he'd heard a lot about her. When he was young, sometimes one of his parents would read him a story from this Bible. It had been then that he had first heard the stories of Moses, David and Goliath, Joseph…and even his namesake. Daniel had heard from his dad more than once that that character had always been his mother's--Daniel's grandmother's--favorite. The elder Doctor Jackson himself had not been a religious man, but he had still seen fit to name his son after his deceased mother's favorite Bible story. His wife hadn't objected.

This book held much of the legacy of his family, even of his name…yet Daniel had never really considered whether any of it might be true. It seemed so absurd, yet made so much sense, and now more than ever. But he didn't think he was ready to accept that what had just happened might have been an act of God…and he wouldn't believe any of it until he had looked for himself.

"Hey."

Daniel jumped and quickly set the Bible down on the desk. "Sam. Hi."

The air force colonel wandered in and over to him. "Sorry; I didn't mean to scare you," she apologized. "Just thought you'd like to know the latest news."

"It's okay, uh…what news?"

Sam shrugged and straddled a chair across the desk from him. "Well, for one thing, he's had barely a day in office and already Carpathia is pushing for peace, a one-world currency, and global nuclear disarmament," she reported, rolling her eyes.

"Is he insane? That'll never happen."

"People seem a lot more receptive to radical things than they did last week," she pointed out. "We don't know what happened with the vanishings, and we _still_ don't know what happened last month with Russia's all-out attack on Israel."

"When all the Russian planes blew up in the air without a shot fired by the Israelis; yeah, I know. That was just downright creepy," Daniel agreed. Then, again, the SGC had suspected alien intervention, but no evidence had been found to support it. It was still a mystery.

Sam smirked. "Oh yeah, and of course Buck Williams was right in the middle of that, too."

"He's from that _Global Weekly_ magazine, right? The one that went _outside_ in the middle of all that?" Sam nodded. "Geez, I mean, how stupid can you get?"

"I think he's kinda cute," she answered, smirk still in place.

Now Daniel rolled his eyes. "_Any_hoo, I was about to say that this is getting way to weird. Do you remember how he came to power in Romania?

"Yeah, the former president just handed over his position to this new young guy nobody had ever heard of, and now that guy is all over international television."

"Which is crazy. Nobody just _hands over _their presidency to someone else, much less someone much younger and less experienced. I don't get it."

"We never solved that one either," Sam admitted.

"Are people actually listening to him and these ideas?"

She shrugged. "Well, they haven't laughed him out of New York yet. Me, I'm still more concerned about what really happened than about him."

Daniel sighed. "Yeah…." Sam's eyes drifted to the Bible sitting in front of him, and Daniel followed hers back to it as well.

"It was my grandmother's," he answered quietly, before she could even pose a question about it.

Sam nodded. "Oh…I guess it's pretty old then, huh?"

"No kidding. It's gotta be more than twice as old as I am. I've kept it all this time because it's full of notes and stuff she made in it, not to mention that my dad got it after she died so my parents had it, and both of them used it every now and then--or read it to me. Not that any of us were ever really into it or that kind of stuff or anything, but it's still nice to have, and….Well, after what happened, I guess I just thought that maybe…" He trailed off, not sure what he thought.

"That maybe you could find some answers there?" she asked.

Daniel shrugged sheepishly. "Maybe." He was almost afraid she would laugh at him for even considering it. But instead she just offered a soft smile.

"Well, that particular book isn't my first choice, but I definitely don't think you're crazy or anything. Go ahead and go for it."

He smiled back a bit. "Thanks."

Sam nodded and stood to go, but before she had gotten out the door she turned back to him. "Oh, Daniel?"

He looked back up at her and found an uncertain look on her face. "If you really do find something in there…you'll let me know, right?"

"Of course," Daniel nodded. She smiled again and then went, leaving Daniel to his research.

The problem was, he had no idea where to begin. Then his eyes turned to his computer Surely There were plenty of websites out there that could tell him where to look in the 1000 page book for what he wanted. Actually, he wasn't even exactly sure what he was looking for--but he was pretty sure there was something that could help him with that, too.

Daniel brought the internet up.

* * *

It was all there. The Bible predicted the millions disappearing, the chaos that would ensue, the rise to power of a new leader who would seem to be good but would really be evil…it had even foreseen the massive attack on Israel. Granted, it had only said 'enemies from the north', but then again Russia had not yet come into existence when it was written.

Daniel vaguely remembered reading a lot of it before, just for anthropological reasons, but at the time it hadn't meant anything to him. Now he had seen it all happen. Stunned into silence again, he sat back in his desk chair and stared down at the pages of the book of Revelation within the Bible. If this could be believed, things would only get worse. But could it be believed?

The rational part of him knew that the chances of someone just guessing this much correctly was…well, he didn't have Sam's brains for math and science, but he knew it wasn't good at all. At the same time, though, that part of him didn't want to believe any of it, because to it the whole "God" thing seemed like a cop-out, a crutch, or…something. But the side of his mind that was pure emotion and heart was screaming at him to get more answers, to believe it, or to not--to do _something_ about the information he had just gleaned. Daniel agreed with that part. He knew that sooner or later he would have to decide one way or the other. That much he could already tell just from the nature of what he'd learned, and how it made him feel. There didn't seem to be any in-between.

But he couldn't make sense of it all by himself.

The search had taken hours, and it was well into the night now. That was why Daniel was so surprised when he looked up again to see Vala at the door.

"Can I come in?"

He shrugged. "Since when have you asked?"

She shrugged in return and came to settle on the same chair Sam had been straddling earlier. "Whatcha doing?"

"Just a little research," Daniel answered, closing the Bible and setting it aside. "What about you?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Did you even try?"

"Not really. I didn't need to. I knew I wouldn't be able to."

"Where _have_ you been sleeping, exactly?"

"Well, I've dozed on the couch in Sam's room every now and then…"

Daniel eyed her, noting the dark spot under her eyes, and her not-perfect-as-usual hair. "You haven't really slept since it happened, have you?"

She looked at him for a moment, fish-mouth, as if she were trying to get herself to lie to him and tell him she had, but finally she closed it. "No," she admitted, looking away.

"You have to go back in there eventually," he told her gently, knowing what was really bothering her.

"Not anytime soon I don't," Vala said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

"You can't stay out of there forever. If you don't go in there sooner, then it'll be later. You might as well get it over with."

She shook her head. "No."

Daniel pierced her with a concerned and caring, yet firm look. "Vala…"

She looked at him, undecided, and he sighed. "Look, I'll…go with you. Okay? Would that help?" She continued to look at him for another moment, before she sighed and nodded, visibly slouching.

"All right," she agreed.

Daniel nodded approvingly and stood, taking her arm and gently pulling her up with him. "Come on." She came with him reluctantly, but didn't put up any resistance as he lead her to her room. The door was tightly shut, and she looked at with mixed feelings of dread, fear, and apprehension on her face.

"It'll be all right," he assured her.

Vala glanced at him, gulped, and nodded, then grabbed the knob before she could talk or think herself out of it and slowly opened the door herself. She stepped in, crossing her arms tightly in front of her again. Daniel followed her in and shut the door behind them, then followed Vala's gaze to the couch--where Cameron's clothes still lay where they'd dropped several days ago.

Daniel gulped. By the time he'd gotten back to the SGC with Cassie, most of the abandoned piles of clothes had been picked up, so he had yet to see where anyone he'd known had vanished, along with the evidence. He glanced at Vala, who was going toward the couch ever-so-slowly, and followed her. When she got to it, she sank onto the cushions beside the dropped clothes, eyes riveted to them.

"I was just sitting here," she swallowed. "We were about to watch a movie, and I was getting impatient." Tears in her eyes, she reached down toward the shirt on the couch cushion, fingers hovering just a few millimeters above it. Daniel silently sat beside her, watching her for any sign of something he could do to help, besides listen.

Finally, she went far enough to touch it, rubbed the collar of the blue fatigue shirt between her fingers. "They're not coming back, are they?" she asked, voice barely a whisper.

That morning, Daniel wouldn't have been able to answer that question, but now a conviction came over him that somehow he knew to be true.

"No, Vala, they're not coming back," he answered quietly, gulping again.

She bit back a sob. "That last thing I said to him was to demand that he turn the movie on. Not that I was mean about it or anything, but…"

"I know…"

"And I never even told him how glad I was I could…I could call him a friend. You've all been nice and everything, and helped me settle in here, and stuff, but he especially did a lot to make me feel like one of you, and he helped a lot when you were gone when Adria had you…" She trailed off there, was silent for a moment. "he didn't know how much I appreciated that."

"Maybe he still knows," Daniel suggested, though not sure himself.

She only shrugged, but still didn't look at him. Silently she picked up Cameron's shirt and held it to her. Her head ducked over it for a moment, but then came back up facing the wall, and he could tell she was blinking back tears. He could see her shivering a bit too, as if suppressing sobs.

Daniel swallowed and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, then turned her toward him. "Hey, it's okay…" He saw that there were already tears spilling silently down her cheeks, and she heard his words, another sob broke free. Then another. With nothing else to do, Daniel pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. Vala still clutched the piece of clothing in one hand, but wrapped her other arm around him tightly in return and leaned into him.

Daniel still didn't know exactly how to explain what he thought he knew about all this, so knew no words of comfort to give her. All he could do for Vala right now was hold her and let her cry on his shoulder.


	6. Announcement

Thank you so much for all the reviews! I hope you who are interested and can will continue to review and tell me what ya think of the new chapters, because I assure you it helps a lot. hugs So I hope you enjoy this chap; can't wait to hear from ya:)

Note: I didn't have the second Left behind book, "Tribulation Force", at my disposal when I wrote this chapter, but I did have the second movie. If any of the information is messed up, I'm sorry. I took took note while watching movie, and reconsturcted the scene you might recognize later in the chapter. The exact words that the guy on TV says, are not the exact words he said on the movie, or in the book, cause my memory ain't _that_ good, but it is pretty much what he said...you get the picture. I did my best. The information itself should be accurate, when it comes to matching what is represented in the "Left behind" books and movies though. Okay I'm shutting up now. Read on.

Chapter 6

There was a knock on the door to her room, and Sam looked up from where she was sprawled on the bed reading a book. "Come in."

The door opened, and a tired-looking Cassandra Fraiser trudged in a plopped onto the side of the bed. "Hey, Sam."

"Hey," Sam said, sitting up and hugging her. "I'm glad you got back okay. How was everything back on campus?" It had been almost two weeks now since the vanishings, and a couple of days before Cassie had decided to venture back to her college out of state. She had been home on break when the disappearances had occurred.

Cassie hugged back and sighed. "Not so great."

"Why?" Sam asked, pulling back to look at her.

"Well, apparently some water lines or something got broken somehow when everything happened…but whatever it was, it flooded a lot of the dorms."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah, no kidding. Not to mention school's been cancelled for the rest of the year anyway. So I rescued what I could—which was everything above about knee level; thank goodness I had the top bunk—stuffed it all in my car, and headed back here. The roads are a lot better than they were two weeks ago, but they're still bad."

"It'll take a while to clean all that up," Sam nodded. Then she sighed herself. "I'm sorry. So were you able to save a lot?"

"Most of my stuff, yeah. I'll be fine—except for the having no place to stay part."

"You've been staying here; there's no reason why you can't continue to do that. When we don't feel like we have to stay here anymore though, and I go back to my house, you're welcome to come with me."

"Thanks," Cassie smiled.

Sam smiled back, then remembered something else. "What about your roommate? Do you know how she's doing? Her name is Jean something, right?"

The younger woman's smile disappeared at that. "Oh, uh…I didn't see her, no," she swallowed. "Apparently Jean uh…vanished with the others…"

"Oh…I'm so sorry…" Sam winced.

"It's okay; thanks." But Cassie still looked rather down, and Sam put a hand on her arm and rubbed gently in comfort.

"Come on, let's go get Daniel. That broadcast is about to come on. Vala and Teal'c will be in here soon, but he might forget."

Cassie offered a small smile in return. "I'll stay here and wait for them. You go on."

Sam stood. "You sure? He'll be glad to see you."

She raised an eyebrow. "He'll see me when he comes in here."

"Good point," Sam laughed. "Okay, I'll be right back." With that, she left the room and made her way to Daniel's office, where once again he was in front of his computer, and hunched over his grandmother's Bible. He has been sifting through that thing all week. He'd told her some of what he'd found in there, but she wasn't sure about all of it. She was pretty sure that he wasn't sure either, though. She suspected that was why he kept looking.

She knocked on the doorframe, and he looked up.

"Oh, hey Sam. What's up?"

She came into the room a little farther. "Two things: Cassie's back, and the broadcast is about to start."

For several days, Nicolae Carpathia and CNN had been advertising that one Rabbi Tsion Ben-Judah would be making a very important announcement live from Israel today. Apparently he had been doing in-depth research on something for years and years, and today was supposed to make 'the most important announcement in history'. Sam didn't quite buy into _that_, but they were all curious as to what would make them say that.

"Okay, thanks," Daniel said, closing the book and setting it down again. By now there were numerous pieces of paper sticking out from the pages, marking places. He stood up and came toward her. "Are Teal'c and Vala there yet?"

"No, but they probably will be by the time we get back to the room."

They were, but Cassie was the first to stand up and greet Daniel when he and Sam they stepped back into Carter's room.

"Hey, Cassie; how'd it go?" he asked, returning her embrace. She let go and reiterated what she'd told Sam.

"Gosh, I'm sorry about all that," Daniel grimaced. "You okay?"

She shrugged. "I've been worse."

Daniel didn't look like he was pleased with that answer, but before he could open his mouth again Vala spoke up from her spot on the couch beside Teal'c, where she was holding the remote and looking at the television.

"Guys, it's coming on," she announced.

That got everyone's attention. Sam took the last spot on the couch, and Daniel and Cassie took the chairs as CNN switched to a feed from Jerusalem, where Nicolae Carpathia stood before a gathered crowd. Carpathia was a tall-ish man, slender but not too thin, and good looking with light brown hair and blue eyes. He would have looked almost like Daniel without glasses, but he was too slender, and his facial structure was too different. He looked good in his own way, but something about him also made her feel uneasy even though he was one of the brightest people she'd ever seen on television. Maybe he was _too_ peppy.

Carpathia announced that, though he was very much looking forward to the announcement and would be watching it from his private plane, he had other U.N. matters to attend to and would have to be leaving. Then he was gone, leaving Sam curious as to why he wouldn't have made time to be there for something supposedly as important as this.

A little bit later, someone else came to the platform, introduced the Rabbi, and Tsion Ben-Judah stepped up to the podium.

"So what is this about again?" Cassie asked.

"I'm not sure, but I just thought we should all watch this." That was the honest truth, too. She didn't know why. But something had been telling her for days to watch this when it came on. Daniel seemed to have been feeling the same thing.

Rabbi Ben-Judah welcomed the crowd and the TV viewers, and thanked them for watching, or being there. Then he began to recount the story of his years of meticulous research into the prophecies of the messish of the Bible, and what one person it could be.

Cassie snorted. "I knew it would be something like this."

"Oh, just hush and listen," Sam scolded. Cassie shrugged and shut up, and Daniel stared at the screen with rapt attention.

Ben-Judah explained that there were over four hundred messianic passages, but that there were 109 specific prophecies that the Messiah would have to fulfill. Some of them were more general, such as that he would be pierced without breaking a bone, or he would travel to Egypt as a child--things like that even applied to the people sitting in the room they were in. But after that, it became more narrow.

The Messiah would come from a certain bloodline, would be born of a virgin, and would be born in Bethlehem. Ben-Judah did go into detail on all of the 109 prophecies, but outlined the most important ones, and briefly skimmed over the rest. That alone took almost an hour, but something kept all of them sitting there watching.

Finally, the rabbi was ready to proclaim the conclusion of his findings. The anticipation in the room and in the crowd on the screen could have been cut with a knife.

"My friends," Ben-Judah continued. "Only one man in humankind could ever fulfill all of these prophecies. The chance of even 20 of them being fulfilled in one man in well over one in a hundred million, yet one man filled all 109." He smiled as if he knew the most wonderful secret in the world as was about to share it with the entire planet. "I am overjoyed to tell you, that the one man who did, the man who is also our risen Lord and Savior, is none other than, and _could be_ none other…than Jesus Christ."

Half of the crowd cheered, and the other half booed, shouted, and protested. Ben-Judah ignored them all. Right where he was, he lifted his eyes to the sky and began to pray, then and there, for God's forgiveness. Then the transmission cut off, and a technical difficulty screen popped up.

"Of all the times to have technical problems," Cassie complained. Her attitude had changed completely since the broadcast had begun.

"No, I think that was because somebody didn't like that," Sam frowned. Unfortunately, she knew enough about politics to know that was probably true.

Daniel was already on his feet and halfway to the door. Sam turned to him. "Daniel? Are you all right?"

"What is wrong, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.

He shook his head, not looking at them, and reached for the door handle. "Nothing. I'm fine," he said, but his voice sounded more gruff than usual, as if his throat were choked up a bit.

Sam stood too. "You sure?"

Now Daniel nodded, still not facing them. "Yeah. I'm just going back to my office," he told them. Then he left quickly, the door not closing again all the way as he pushed it back.

Vala started to stand to go after him, but Teal'c held her back. "I believe Colonel Carter should take care of this, Vala MalDoran," he said quietly. Vala looked at Cassie helplessly, but the younger woman seemed to agree.

Sam sighed. "He'll be all right…I'll be back," she said quietly, then started after her friend. Daniel was not in his office, but the Bible was gone from his desk, and when she went to his room, the door was shut, and muffled sounds that she couldn't quite make out were coming from inside. She knocked softly on the door, but there was no response, so he pushed it open a bit. Quietly she slipped into the room.

The sight that greeted Sam inside wouldn't have been believable at all more than two weeks ago…but now it almost made sense--especially considering what they'd all just heard.

The Bible was on the bed beside him, and Daniel was on his knees on the floor by his bed, crying softly into his arms that lay on top of it. Sam gulped and went to him, uncertain of what to do. Kneeling beside him, she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Daniel…?"

He jerked a bit in surprise at her touché, and briefly glanced up at her. She could see that his face was streaked with tears. "Sam…uh…"

"What's wrong?" she asked in concern. She had a pretty good inkling--but she had to know if they were thinking the same thing.

Daniel swiped a sleeve over his face to dry it, and sat back on his heels. "Don't you get it?" he asked miserably. "We screwed up."

"Meaning…."

He wasn't looking at her. He was staring down at his lap. "We screwed up, messed up, big trouble, wrong choice….and now we're stuck here. Ben-Judah is right. Jesus Christ was…_is_ the Messiah, the Savior…and we didn't believe it before. That's why we're here. All those who did are gone." He looked at her then. "It was the Rapture, Sam. And we missed it."

Sam knew that Daniel, being the way he was, would never be saying any of this unless he were completely convinced it were true. She'd heard about things like the Rapture before, 'accepting Jesus'…but she'd never thought much of it. Now it was seeming like she should have.

"But if that's true…that can't be it. There has to be some kind of hope, some kind of second chance…right?" She was phrasing it as an _if_, but suddenly her heart needed to know that more than anything in the world.

Daniel shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that we all made a big mistake." He swallowed hard and looked into her eyes again. "Sam…we spent so much time fighting false gods and liberating peoples from them…but we never even stopped to think if there might be a real one."

"I know…" Sam admitted, being the one to look down now. How could she refute the evidence Tsion Ben-Judah had just given? She knew what he meant by the chances of this and that happening…with her math and science background she probably understood that part better than Daniel did--and the evidence the rabbi had given just couldn't be denied. "But what do we do?"

Daniel sighed. "The church are still having services; there are still people left in them. I drove by the one near here Sunday…but I couldn't make myself go in."

Sam winced. "Yeah, uh…I did the same thing," she said truthfully, looking up. She had curious too, since Daniel had started sharing with her some of what he read. Daniel stared at her again.

"Maybe…it would be easier if we went together. I know we both want answers," he suggested.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. Tomorrow's Wednesday, and I think they're having a service sometime at night. I could call and ask when."

"Okay," he agreed.

She put a hand on his knee. "You gonna be okay until then?"

Daniel nodded and smiled tightly. "I'll be fine, Sam." But for Daniel, 'I'm fine' was never fine. It was usually a sure sign he was hurting in some way, and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Sam leaned forward and hugged him tightly. "It'll be all right; we'll figure this out," she promised. "We'll find out."

Daniel only returned the embrace and nodded.


	7. Acceptance

This has by far been my favorite chapter to write so far, and my fellow Christians will understand why grin. But either way, please read, and I hope you like it. 'Please' tell me what you think. This chapter is vitally important to the story, so I need to know your thoughts. Thanks to all reviewers so far! I'd love it if you would continue to leave such good reviews; you're all so very helpful, thanks:) Okay, shutting up now...enjoy the read. :)

Chapter 7

Vala hoisted herself up to sit on the edge of the desk. "But why do you have to go out _tonight_? I'm bored to death here--we all are--I need someone to talk to."

Daniel sighed and looked up at her. "You're welcome to come with us."

She wrinkled her nose. "Church? No thank you. Why in the world are you and Sam going, anyway?"

"Did you listen to that broadcast yesterday at all?"

"Well, sure I did," she shrugged.

"And…?"

"It was interesting, but I'm hardly going to change my whole way of thinking for what one wonko little man thinks."

"He's not crazy, Vala," Daniel sighed. "Did you even pay attention to all the evidence he was giving?" He almost couldn't believe he was listening to _himself_ say that. Two weeks ago he would have been just as skeptical as she was right now, if not more.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." But he saw just the tiniest spark of doubt in her eyes, and latched onto it.

"Vala, just come with us. I'm not sure what we're going to hear, but it has to be better than trying to explain what happened with some stupid nuclear radiation cover story."

Vala shook her head and slid off the desk again. "No thanks. I'll see if muscles has anything to do."

Daniel rolled his eyes now, and checked his watch. "Whatever. But I've got to go. I'm meeting Sam by the elevator in two minutes," he said as he stood.

"Have fun."

"Yeah…"

* * *

Daniel felt a bit nervous as he and Sam slipped into the back row of the small community church, just on time. He wasn't sure why, but his insides were twisting into all kinds of knots already, and Sam looked like the same was true for her. Without even voicing the decision, they sat close together at the end of the pew, arms fully touching. The contact came him some comfort, and the spot on the end of the row made it easier to see clearly to the front.

He still wasn't entirely sure what it was he wanted to hear, but it seemed like he and Sam weren't the only two searching. The pews were packed, and they had taken some of the last space available. All seemed to be nervous with anticipation in one way or another, and several still looked like they might be in shock, or disoriented. After the events of the past two weeks, Daniel couldn't blame them. Things were crazy enough just here on earth, _without_ knowing that millions more had disappeared on many planets across at _least_ two galaxies.

The man that stood up at the podium a moment later was not, they found out immediately because he told them, the pastor of the church, but one of the two or three deacons remaining. The rest of them, and the entire pastoral staff, had been taken in the rapture. He used that word, 'rapture', like it was fact, like he knew for sure that was what had happened, nothing in Daniel's mind refuted that when he said it. The man's name was Simon Dockett, and he spoke for almost an hour. There was no singing time first, or anything else, because, he said, so many were anxious just to hear the truth, and he was so anxious to tell it. Daniel silently agreed; Sam seemed to as well.

Simon briefly recounted the story of Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection. Daniel had heard the story more than once before, when he had been dragged to church by foster parents as a child, and when studying cultures and history--but it had never meant more than it did now. He knew it probably would have shocked the man he had been more than two weeks ago to know that he was listening to this, much less believing it, but here he was with Sam, both soaking up every word. Both of them were supposed to be scientists, not interested in religion, only interested in what could be proven and touched and seen, and explained…but that had gone out the door when millions of people had vanished from the face of the earth with seemingly no explanation. This was the only one that made sense.

Simon Dockett was a small man, who looked to be in his mid thirties, probably not that much younger than Daniel himself, and yet he spoke with a fervor that surprised. He assured the gathered crowd that any loved ones they had lost in the disappearances had not been taken by aliens, or harshly killed, or vaporized or harmed in any way…but that they were safely home with their Father in Heaven, because they had believed and asked for His forgiveness.

Many cried out then, desperate to know what was to become of the rest of them if this was true. Was it too late? Were they all doomed to hell? To oblivion? That was when Sam grabbed his hand, and held it tight. Daniel squeezed back. Simon told them that no, he believed there was still hope. He shared with them passages from the Bible that described there being believers in the end times, during the seven years of Tribulation, and spoke of God's mercy, His willingness to forgive them. Then others wanted to know how they could obtain that.

Simon smiled then, and told them that it was as simple as accepting it; praying and asking for it. But he also warned them that the world had seven years left before the final return of Jesus, and that none of them would be easy. Being a follower of Christ during the Tribulation was not prophesied to be the yellow-brick road. Daniel smiled at the analogy, his thoughts turning briefly to Jack O'Neill. He and Sam would have to tell Jack about all of this when he could get to Colorado Springs…

Now people were going forward, and kneeling at the front while Simon led them in a prayer. About half the audience stayed where they sat, including Daniel, who couldn't seem to make himself move, not here. He didn't know any of these people. He felt the conviction stronger than anything he had ever felt in his life, but something else was holding him back--another force he couldn't explain.

Daniel felt the pressure on his right hand let go, and turned his head to see Sam get up and hurry out. Helplessly he glanced back at Dockett and those on the floor praying, but then followed her. She pushed out through the doors and into the cool night air, stopping on the sidewalk at the corner to lower her face into her hands. Her shoulders were shaking. Swallowing, Daniel went to her, put a hand on her shoulder, and gently turned her toward him, but her face stayed in her hands. He puffed out a breath and saw it in the air, and was thankful that neither of them had taken off their jackets.

"Sam…"

She pulled one hand away from her face to wipe at her cheeks, which were streaked with tears. Daniel realized that this uncertainty about what to do to help her must have been what she was feeling the day before when she found him in his room.

"You were right," she sniffed, tears still falling. "That guy in there is right, and the guy on TV was right…Daniel, how could we have been so stupid? We ignored it all, and now Cameron and Walter and Hannah are gone, and we're left here…"

Daniel licked his lips quickly and took both her shoulders in his hands, getting closer to her. "But didn't you hear what he said? It's not too late." And that felt good to say. Because he knew it was the truth.

"But why would God even care about me?" Sam voiced miserably, trying again to dry her face. "I ignored him…and if you'd heard the things I was yelling at him after my mom died…"

"Sam, we all get angry when we lose people. Believe me, I know what you mean. I had quite a vocabulary for an eight-year-old, in more than one language, and I lost _both_ my parents at the same time. I don't think you can top me there," Daniel answered, smiling just a bit. "Besides…I don't think that matters."

She looked away. "But how can you be sure?"

He sighed. "Well, at the moment I can't remember exactly where--I've been reading it a lot in the past few days--but I know that somewhere in the Bible it says something about being saved through grace…and other things about it not mattering what we've done, that God still wants to save us. And you heard him. All we have to do is ask. I know I want to do it…"

Sam gulped and looked at him then. "Well, I will if you will…"

"Sam, I think it's the kind of decision you need to make on your own…"

"I know," she nodded, face dry now but cheeks red and eyes still a bit damp. "I understand it all. If it's really not too late, then…I want to. I really do. I just don't want to do it alone."

Daniel nodded back, smiling again. "Okay, I can understand that," he answered, sliding his hands down to hold both of hers as they stood face-to-face. He noticed they were shaking a bit. "I guess you want me to go first, huh?" She only shrugged shyly. He sighed. "Okidoki…I guess I can do that."

He closed his eyes and squeezed his friend's hands. _Here goes nothing…or something. _Daniel took a deep breath and let it out.

"God…it feels kind of strange talking to you…after not really believing in you for most of my life, but…I do now. And…I know that I've screwed up, and I probably really don't deserve anything you could do for me…but I know now that you still care. I believe that Jesus came, and died for everyone…for me. It's hard to believe, but I do…and I'm not sure exactly what else to say but that I ask for your forgiveness. Jesus, please save me…" He trailed off and stayed silent for a long moment, then quietly finished with the word he'd heard others use in prayer over the years. "Amen."

A peace like nothing he'd ever felt washed over him, telling him that this was _right_. He'd done the right thing; he couldn't have been happier. It was all Daniel could do to remain still while he kept hold of Sam's, to encourage her as she said her own prayer. By the time she stumbled to a finish, he opened his eyes to find that there were fresh tears on both of their cheeks.

"Do you feel as good as I do?" Sam questioned, quirking a smile.

Daniel nodded in whole-hearted agreement. "Yeah, I do," he smiled, pulling her into a fierce embrace. Sam grinned and hugged back just as tightly.


	8. New

Sorry this took so long, but it's the weekend again so got busy, lol. So anyway, thank you all for your continued encouragment in your reviews. I always look forward to reading them. :) I hope you like this chapter. Oh yes, and something many of you seem to have been wondering about is adressed near the end, so read on: D Thanks!

Chapter 8

Daniel let go of Sam when he heard one of the front doors of the church open, and turned to see Simon Dockett step out onto the sidewalk.

"Well, I'm glad you two are still out here," he said, smiling kindly.

Sam extracted her arms from around Daniel and smiled back a little nervously. "Uhm…hi."

"Shouldn't you uh…be in there with everybody else?" Daniel asked curiously.

Simon shrugged. "There are other believers in there that can help those who still have questions, but I was concerned when I saw you run out. She seemed upset," he said, nodding to Sam.

She sighed. "I was," she admitted. "But I'm all right now."

The other man studied them for a moment. "And what do you think of all this?"

Daniel smiled and glanced at Sam, who smiled back. "We're inclined to believe what you're saying, and…we've already taken care of it; not sure we did it entirely right, but we did it."

Now Simon grinned. "That's great. I'm glad to hear it, brother."

"Excuse me?" Sam questioned.

"Of course," Dockett nodded. "We're all brothers and sisters now; we're God's children."

Daniel racked his brain for something long forgotten. "Yeah…I think I've heard it that way before." Sam was nodding, so she must have understood as well.

Simon came forward to shake their hands. "Forgive me, I'm afraid we're not even. What are your names?"

"Oh! Sorry, I'm Daniel Jackson."

"It's good to meet you, Daniel, and are you…?" he asked, turning to Sam.

She turned a bit pink. "What? Oh, no no. I'm Samantha--Carter."

"We're god friends; we work together," Daniel chuckled.

"Ah, I see," Simon smiled. "I'm glad you both decided to come here tonight, Samantha and Daniel."

"Please, people call me Sam," she smiled in return.

He nodded. "Sam then. Would you like to come back inside?"

Daniel and Sam, looked at each other. "Uhm…no thank you, not right now," Daniel answered finally. "We should really be going."

"Will you be back?"

"You can count on it," Sam nodded.

"Good, good. Services are on Sunday mornings and nights, and Wednesday nights. Also, I'm in my office during usual weekday hours, if you have any questions later," Simon informed them.  
"I'm sure we will," Daniel acknowledged, mouth quirking. "Thanks so much."

"For everything," Sam agreed.

Simon shrugged. "I'm just the messenger. Thank God."

Daniel's smiled widened now. "Don't worry…we will."

* * *

Sam and Daniel talked the entire way back to the SGC, too excited to stay silent, and once there still couldn't sleep, so they retreated to his office to read, talk, and even pray some more. It just seemed natural, after everything. It was late when they finally broke to their own rooms for sleep.

On the way to her quarters, Sam passed the room Cassie had been using and heard noises coming from inside. She stopped and listened, and finally made it out as a radio voice. At this time of night? Sam knocked on the door.

"Cassie?"

There was no response, so she knocked again, a bit louder. That time the radio shut off, so she pushed the door open some and peeked in. "Cassie? You ok in here?"

The young woman sat up against the headboard of her bed, arms crossed and staring at nothing in particular. She shrugged, but she looked a little upset. Sam went over and sat on the edge next to her. She glanced at the radio.

"What were you listening to?"

"Some preacher guy…from somewhere nearby. He was talking more about what that Ben-Judah guy was talking about yesterday."

Sam nodded in understanding. "Oh…what's wrong then?"

Cassie looked away. "Jean tried to tell me about this…that it was coming. I didn't listen to her, and now I'm stuck here. We all are. We all got left behind."

"You knew?" Sam questioned.

She nodded despondently. "I knew all along what had happened, but I just didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to be wrong."

"None of us like it, Cas….We miss everyone that's gone, and it doesn't seem fair at first, I know. But you've got to admit that we all had plenty of chances to believe it."

Cassie looked at her then, a little surprised. "You believe it?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah; I do." It felt almost strange to be so confident about it already, when she'd only been sure for a few hours, but nothing in her life had ever felt more right.

"But…what's the point? It's too late."

"Didn't whoever you were listening to just now get around to the fact that it's not? We have a second chance, Cassie. We can still accept it. I did, and Daniel did."

"Both of you?"

"Uh huh."

She swallowed. "But if we still can…then what was the point of taking all those that did?"

Sam sighed. "Probably because those of us that are believing now never would have if this hadn't happened. Then, there's the fact that the next seven years are going to be bad…it was to reward the ones that had sense enough to believe the truth before now, or something like that, to keep them from going through that. I don't know everything about it yet, but that's the basic idea I think…"

Cassie blinked. "Bad? What do you mean bad?"

"Uh, well, as far as I can tell, well…this world…this universe, really, only has seven years left."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked in alarm.

Sam held out a hand. "Whoa, hey that's not entirely a bad thing."

"How?"

"Because the next seven years is to judge those who don't believe, and also to bring more people to believe, and then Jesus will come back, and rule, and everything will be a lot better than ever before. I don't know the details yet--I haven't read enough--but that's the sketch of what's going on."

"And what happens to the people who still don't believe when this is all over in seven years or whatever?"

Sam winced to herself. "Uhm, they go to hell. That's why we're supposed to tell other people, so they can believe, so they won't have to."

"Oh…and everybody that disappeared is in heaven because they believed."

"Yeah, pretty much--or they believed at some point, and accepted Jesus. Maybe some of them, like Cameron and maybe Walter, for instance, weren't sure about it all anymore, but once you accept Jesus, you're saved for life, so…yeah."

Cassie sat forward. "So…you're sure I can still do it? Accept Jesus or whatever you call it?"

Sam nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure."

The younger woman swallowed. "Okay…I want to do it. Will you help me?"

"I'd love to."

* * *

Daniel had his pajama pants on and was halfway through pulling his shirt off when someone knocked on the door to his room. Quickly he pulled his t-shirt back down and went to open there door. There he found Sam and Cassie standing on the other side, both beaming.

"What's this about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's two in the morning; I was about to go to _sleep_."

Sam grinned. "Well, I, for one, wasn't going to go to sleep without introducing our new sister to you."

Daniel's eyes shifted to Cassie, who suddenly seemed more sheepish than elated. He smiled. "Cassie? Really?"

She nodded and Sam nudged her inside, came in herself, and closed the door. Daniel scooped Cassandra into his arms and hugged her tightly, grinning now too.

"This is great," he laughed.

Cassie laughed too, and returned the embrace tightly, while Sam just stood there behind them grinning.

* * *

The next day, the believers of the SGC were gathered in Daniel's office, deep in discussion. There was still so much to know and understand.

"What I wanna know is how so many people on other planets could have disappeared when the whole Jesus thing happened here--and after most of those populations split away from earth, at that," Cassie mussed. She felt good, a lot better than she had in a while, and especially since the vanishings had happened, but she was still a bit confused.

Daniel looked thoughtful. "Well, we don't know for sure that it only happened here."

"What do you mean?" Sam questioned.

"Well, think about it. I do believe now that the Bible is 100 percent truth and everything," he said, tapping it where it sat on his desk next to him. "But even though God told them what to write and all that, it was still written by men who didn't know there were people on other planets. This is the account of what happened here. God is limitless, and Jesus was not only all man, but all God--yeah, I know the whole Trinity thing is still tripping me up, too, but who's to say that it didn't happen everywhere at once? Granted, it probably would've been a little different on every planet, what with a lot of the cultures being different than ancient Israel, but that still could be it. Or maybe God just found a way for people on others planets to know and believe in Him from what happened here."

Sam shrugged. "Yeah, but I don't think _how_ is all that important. I know we all like to overanalyze things, but I don't think this is something we can just analyze and come up with a perfect explanation for."

Daniel smirked. "Good point."

"Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter, it'd be cool to know, though," Cassie admitted.

"Well, hey, you can ask Him when you get to heaven," he teased.

Cassie wadded up a piece of paper and threw it at him.

"Hey! I might need that!" he yelped, catching it when it bounced off his shoulder. He unfolded it and found it blank. "Oh, ok no I don't." He heard the two women laughing, and turned to throw the paper into the trashcan…and almost jumped out of his skin when the wad he'd tossed went right through the brown-homespun-robe-clad body of someone who was suddenly standing there.

"Whoa! What the--" he gasped, jumping out of his chair and backing up in one fluid motion. He heard two gasps behind him, then looked up to see…"Skaara?"

"I am sorry, Danyel. I did not mean to scare you," the Abydonian apologized.

"Well, I--what are you doing here?"

"Aren't you breaking a lot of rules right now?" Sam asked, having gotten past the shock. Cassie was just staring.

Skaara nodded. "I am, but believe me when I say that no-one will notice."

"And why not?" Daniel inquired.

"Our plane is in chaos still, after what happened. It occurred across the universe as you know it, and has thrown our plane off balance. And there are also some of our number who are missing."

"What?" Sam said in disbelief.

Daniel squinted in confusion. "How can an ascended being _disappear_?"

"It is hard to explain in human terms--but they are just gone."

"Ok…do you know _why_ they're gone?"

"I do not," Skaara admitted. "That is why I am here--well, that and I wished to speak to my brother while I still had a chance."

Daniel smiled. "Well, both of those make sense. Believe it or not, I can help you with both too. Too bad I can't hug you though."

* * *

A while later, Skaara was nodding to himself as Daniel finished his best explanation, along with occasional help from Sam and Cassie. The Abydonian hadn't said a word since he had begun.

"Yes, I…have been observing until now, waiting for the right time to speak to you when I would not be caught, and I have heard this before. I also heard your discussion just before I arrive. It is all interesting, but I am not sure."

Cassie, who had just met him for the first time today, smiled. "That's all right. It's okay to want time to think. " She glanced at Sam. "Right?"

"Yeah, of course."

Daniel smiled too. "I'd let you talk to the guy Sam and I met yesterday, but it'd get pretty problematic when he tried to touch you, so…"

"I understand, Danyel. It is all right. I would like to think on these things for longer, anyway. And I must be going; there _is_ much chaos on my current plane, but if I stay here too long, it is more likely I will be found," Skaara sighed.

Daniel nodded. "Okay…but if you have any questions, or you need anything, we'll do what we can."

"Thank you, Danyel, Samantha. Cassie it has been a pleasure to meet you, but I must go now."

She smiled and waved. "You too; see ya later, I guess."

Sam piped up then. "Oh, and say hi to, uh…oh, General O'Neill said you were engaged or betrothed or whatever to someone before what happened on Abydos. Did that still work out even on a different plane of existence and all that?"

Skaara chuckled and nodded. "Yes, we were still wed."

"Any kids?" Daniel asked, grinning.

The Abydonian crossed his arms. "Danyel, you should know that ascended beings cannot have children."

"Sorry, shutting up now," he smirked.

"Say hi to her for us," Sam finished.

Daniel nodded. "And to Kasuf."

"I will. Goodbye for now," Skaara said in farewell. Then he disappeared in a flash of light. When he was gone, Daniel glanced back at Sam and Cassie. "Well…that was interesting, to say the least."

Both women snorted. "Ya think?"


	9. Phone Calls

Okidoki, here's chapter nine. :) Please review and let me know what ya think, and please be nice, but remember if you have any questions, go ahead and ask them--just make sure that you're either signed in, or you leave an e-mail address, and I'll answer them the best I can. And if I don't know, I can always ask my youth pastor. Right, Pastor Jon? ;)

Chapter 9

Jack shuffled into his apartment after a long day, and collapsed on the couch. It had been two weeks since the vanishings, and everyone at Homeworld security was finally beginning to figure out that they weren't going to come up with an easy answer to what had happened, besides the one the media had been throwing out. At the moment, though, it didn't matter to him. They were finally giving him some time off, and tomorrow he was going to go out to Colorado and stay for a few days.

He needed to call Daniel and let him know that, too. He hadn't done that yet. He'd been too busy to call back at all since the first time, and he'd just found out today he would be able to fly out there. Jack reached over to the coffee table by the couch for the phone there, but just as he picked it up out of the cradle, it rang. The caller I.D. screen flashed number he'd almost forgotten. Frowning, and not sure what to think, he pressed 'talk' and held the phone to his ear.

"O'Neill."

"_Jack_?"

"Sara? How did you get this number?"

"_Well, I spent all day searching the internet for the right 'Jack O'Neill' listing, if you must know._"

"Okay…why?"

The female voice on the other end of the line huffed. "_Well, gee, nice to hear you too, Jack._"

He sighed. "Sorry….Yeah, it's good to hear from you, Sara, but can I admit to being a little confused? I mean, why are you calling me now? We kind of haven't really talked to each other for almost nine years."

"_You don't think what happened two weeks ago is good enough reason to call and make sure you're all right?_"

"Ok, got me there. Look…how are you doing?"

She sighed. "_I'm fine. Nothing happened to me or anything. I was at home asleep when it happened, but I lost a couple of friends. What about you_?"

"Yeah, a couple of friends gone, but otherwise okay. I'm sorry…"

"_It's all right. I know where they are._"

Jack blinked. "You do?"

_"Yes. I admit it, that's the other reason I called you now. I wanted you to know._"

"O…kay. Now I'm officially even more confused. Listen, I'm flying into Colorado Springs tomorrow. You want to meet somewhere or something?"

"_Uhm, sure that would be fine. What I have to say might go over better in person anyway._"

"If you say so. Uh, there's somebody else I need to talk to before I go to bed, so.."

"_Oh, all right, uhm…how will we get in touch_?"

"I've got a cell phone, and I still know your number, Sara. I'll call you when I get there, I guess."

"_Okay…goodbye, Jack_."

"Bye, Sara." Then he hung up the phone, and at therefore several minutes, still not sure what to think. But he would keep his word. He would call Sara when he got to Colorado Springs, and he would meet her and hear her out. After all, maybe he was confused and had long since been, well, pretty much over his ex-wife, but Jack wasn't going to pass up a chance to see her.

* * *

Daniel glanced up from the Bible spread open on the bedspread in front of him when his cell phone rang. It was almost strange. He had been curious before he had become a believer a couple of days ago, but he absolutely couldn't get enough, not matter how much he read. Sighing as he pulled himself out of the words, he reached over to the bedside table, grabbed the phone, and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"_Amazing. You're not in your office this early in the night_."

"Oh, hey Jack. How's it going?"

Jack chuckled a bit, but he seemed distracted. "_Uhm, not so great. We've still got no other explanation for all this. But on the bright side, they're letting me go for a while. I'm flying over there in the morning._"

"That's good. Where you gonna stay and how long?"

"_Well, I'll have a few days, but the 'where' is still a little vague._"

Daniel smirked. "Well, I'd let you stay with me, but I can't even stay at my house right now, so I'm at the SGC. So is Cassie, actually. All the schools have been cancelled not to mention her dorm was flooded. Even Sam's still staying here."

"_Yikes. And then of course the SGC isn't really up and running right now, so what, it's pretty much a boarding house at the moment_?"

"Yeah, basically. SG-1 and friends aren't the only ones who can't go back to their homes yet. Everybody's just kind of crashing here for now. I don't see why you couldn't too," he suggested.

"_Yeah…_"

"Jack?"

"_Huh, what?_"

"Is something wrong?"

"_Oh, uh…not really--just a little off. I got a call from Sara a few minutes ago._"

"Your ex-wife or my ex-girlfriend?"

Jack snorted. "_Oh, yeah, sure Daniel: Your ex-girlfriend called 'me'. No, Daniel, it was my Sara._"

"Sorry…couldn't resist that one. That particular coincidence has always been interesting to me," Daniel apologized. "So anyway, that's up…that's good, right/"

"_I guess so. Yeah. She said she had something to tell me; she said she knew where the people that disappeared were, or something. But that doesn't make any sense."_

Daniel felt a sudden surge of hope. "It might. Did you listen to what she had to say?" he asked.

"_I told her I was coming to town, and suggested we meet somewhere instead. I don't know what it is yet,_" Jack admitted a bit sheepishly.

"Ah…ok, well you'll find out."

"_Yeah, guess I will. But anyway, I was just calling to let you know I'd be there sometime tomorrow. The airports that are back up, and flight paths are all still out of whack, so I don't know when, exactly, but I'm coming._"

"Okidoki. We're not going anywhere. See you tomorrow, Jack."

"_All right. Bye,_" Jack answered, then hung up.

Daniel put his cell phone back on the bedside table, then jumped up to find Sam. She wasn't in her room, but he didn't have to look much farther. Both she and Cassie were in her lab. Sam working on…well, he wasn't an astrophysicist. There was no telling. Cassie was standing by, talking and keeping her company. Cassandra had been planning on going into medical school after college, not science, though Daniel wasn't really sure what she planned on doing now that she didn't even have time to finish medical school if she went into it.

"Hey, good news," he announced when had their attention.

"Like what?" Cassie questioned.

"I think Sara O'Neill might be a Christian too."

Sam blinked. "Okay…that would be nice, but how do you know that?'

Daniel sat down in a free chair. "Jack just called, and he said that Sara had called him, and said she knew where the vanished people were. She didn't say anymore yet, cause Jack agreed to meet her when he got here, but I think she knows the same thing we do. It's the only explanation I can think of."

Sam sat back in her own chair. "And when is he getting here?"

"Sometime tomorrow."

"Really?" Cassie asked, piping up now.

"Yeah, and I think he'll come here first, so…"

"We'll have a chance to tell him," Sam finished.

Daniel nodded. "And I think that would be a good idea to go ahead and do it, before he sees Sara. We have to tell him anyway."

"And if we tell him first, hopefully he won't think Sara's crazy when he hears it again from her," Cassie added.

"He might think _we're_ crazy or something at first though," Sam pointed out.

Daniel shrugged. "But we have an advantage. There are three of us."

"Yeah, maybe…"

* * *

All of the remaining members of SG-1 were waiting outside the elevator when Jack arrived the next day, and Daniel was the first to step forward to greet him when he stepped out onto the control room level.

The general hugged all of them briefly, and then stood back. "So…how's it going? You guys holding up okay?"

Sam, Daniel, and Cassie agreed that they were all right, Vala just shrugged, and Teal'c nodded.

"Okay, that's good…do you guys have any more leads about this than we do back in Washington?" he asked.

"We might," Daniel said vaguely.

Vala rolled her eyes. "If they're going to go into that, I'm leaving."

Daniel frowned. "Vala--"

She shook her head, turned and walked away down the corridor, waving behind her dismissively. "Let him listen to your crazy ideas. I don't have time for any more of that right now."

"But--"

"See you _later_, Daniel," she called. Then she was around the corner and gone. Daniel sighed. The morning after he and Sam had come back from the church, Vala had come in curious, asking what they'd heard there, and he'd told her. But she had rejected it all without even thinking about it.

Teal'c looked after her for a moment, then suggested he follow her.

"Be my guest," Daniel shrugged. Teal'c had heard it all too, and was too smart to immediately deny it could be true, but neither did he believe it--yet.

The jaffa nodded to Jack again, then took off in the direction vala had gone, leaving O'Neill with Sam, Daniel, and Cassie.

"So what have you guys been doing?" the general queried.

"Quite a bit, actually," Daniel answered.

"But let's go somewhere else where we can talk, first," Sam added.

Jack nodded. "Okay, cool with me. Where to?"

Cassie smirked a bit. "We've got three rooms, an office, and a lab to choose form."

"Ah….how about my office?" Daniel said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder.

"Sounds good."

* * *

"So what's with the 'we might', Daniel?" Jack asked once they were all settled and sitting down in Daniel's office a couple of minutes later. Already he seemed a bit overeager to tell.

"Well, Jack…we know where they are too," he began.

Jack blinked. "Yeah, and? Where are they?"

Carter sat forward. "Sir, you have to promise to hear us out."

"You know I will, as long as there's not to much scientific mumbo-jumbo involved, now what is it?"

"Jack, please just promise," Cassie asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay, fine, I promise."

"Okay then, uh…."

Jack crossed his arms. "Daniel, if you know where they are, just tell me."

Daniel studied him for a moment, then exchanged glances with carter and Cassandra. Finally he turned back to Jack and took a deep breath. "Fine, you want it straight? They're in heaven, Jack."

Jack just stared at him for a moment, trying to decide whether he'd heard that right. "What?"

"They're in heaven, sir," Carter reiterated.

"With God," Cassie added.

"Okay….did I miss something here?"

Daniel looked at him. "Like what?"

"Like the camera," he said, glancing around, almost sure they were playing a joke on him. "Come on, where is it?"

Cassie smiled. "This isn't a joke; that's where they are. Really."

Jack looked at all three of them, and their faces seemed earnest--but how was he supposed to believe something like that?

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Daniel reached across his desk and picked up a thick, heavily bookmarked book, and Jack didn't realized until his friend had it in his lap that it was a Bible. Oh for cryin out-- "Daniel, what are you doing?"

"Have you ever _really_ read this, Jack?"

"Uh, sorta, a little bit…" Daniel eyed him. "Okay, no not really. Why? You think the answers are in there."

"Yeah, I do."

"Carter?"

"I think so too, sir."

They laid it all out for him, everything he'd already heard of, and a lot of new stuff too. Jack had to admit that some of it sounded compelling, and that a part of him wanted to believe it….but the rest of him, the military man, pushed it away. Finally he just stood.

"Okay, listen, this is all very interesting, but no thanks."

Daniel looked pained. "Jack--"

"Hey, if you guys want to believe this religious stuff because it makes you feel better or whatever, then fine, good for you--though I really thought better of you three, but nobody's perfect…"

Carter stepped forward. "But sir, that's what we're saying. No one is perfect, and if you're not, you'll go to hell."

"Uh huh--then what's the point if nobody is?"

"If you accept Jesus, then he saves you from your sins, and you can go to heaven instead," Cassie answered.

"Yeah sure. I gotta go…"

"Jack, don't do this. It's the truth, not just something to make us 'feel better'. We know it's true."

"Sir, if anything it's _not_ the easiest thing to believe, because we know it's going to be hard for those that accept it, but he _do_ knowit's right; just let us explain more."

"No thank you. Good luck with that to you, but I don't want to hear it," he said, heading for the door.

"Jack!"

He didn't turn around, afraid that if he did that one part of him that wanted to listen would make him stay. "I've got to go see Sara. I'll be back later." And he left.


	10. Sara

Yikes! This took a while sorry ya'll. I had to finish up another story I was working on. But I'm back now, so here's chapter 10. :) I hope you like it, and 'please' tell me if you do or what you think. Thansk to those who are reviewing! Enjoy. :)

Chapter 10

Jack called Sara, and they set a time to meet at a coffee shop near where both of them were. He was farther away, and knew she would probably already be there when he arrived. That was why he hesitated before opening the door. He hadn't seen her in years, hadn't really talked to her…it had been easier to wish each other well and then try to forget the other existed. Swallowing, Jack had to tell himself to quiet being a coward and go through the fricking door.

He stepped inside, and at first didn't see anything but the counter, the coffee machines, and the customers near the front, but then a movement caught his eye, and he turned his head and saw her. She was at the back, had already saved a table, and was waving to get his attention. Jack went that way, and she stood up as he approached.

Sara's figure hadn't really changed any, and the age had only slightly affected her skin. The giveaway was that her hair was starting to go gray—but just starting to. She's fared a lot better than he had, apparently. He been completely gray since about a year after the last time he'd seen her. Go figure.

Jack had thought he might have to force a smile, but suddenly he found it came naturally. It wasn't huge, but it was a smile, and it was genuine, and it was there. She was smiling too, and before he had really had a chance to register what she was doing, she was politely hugging him and he was returning it.

"Hi, Jack," she said as he let go, and she did the same.

Suddenly he was a little self-conscious about the whole hug thing—which should have been strange because she had been his wife once—and quickly sat down across from her as she lowered herself back into her chair.

"Uh, hi," he replied awkwardly. "So…how've you been?"

Sara shrugged. "Well, fine, once I got over you, but never mind me. Are you all right? You look stressed."

Okay…that was different. She'd never done that before, since Charlie had died, anyway—asking about him before getting out whatever she wanted to say. And usually what she had to say hadn't been exactly constructive, either. Not that whatever he'd had to say had been. Looking back now, he had to admit that neither of them had handled it very well at all. But it was too late to regret it now.

Jack blinked once or twice before answering. "Me? Well, you know, I'm fine, except for the fact that hundreds of millions of people disappeared off the face of the earth a couple of weeks ago." _Not to mention a billion or so more on other planets_, he thought. _And with them every single young child on every single planet…_

That part had hurt the worst, because he knew what it was like to lose a child, a young one. And right now it was looking like, from reports, among the disappeared, every child in the universe was gone. If what Daniel and Carter and Cassie had been trying to tell him was to be believed, there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for that. A lot of what they'd said made sense, actually…but it wasn't for him.

Sara leaned forward and folded her arms on the edge of the table. "What if I told you I had an explanation for that?"

Was there an echo in here?

Jack winced. "Uh…I would probably groan and say 'not you too!'"

"Why?"

"Because I was just talking to some of my friends here earlier today, and they think they have the explanation, but I'm not really in the mood for religious crap right now." It was a bit harsh, but it was the truth for him right now. He hoped it didn't offend her, though he couldn't really apologize if it did.

She sighed. "It's not about 'religion', Jack, it's about the truth."

"What? That we screwed up 'cause we didn't believe all that stuff and now we're 'left behind'? Are you believing it now to?" If she was, he didn't resent her for it. It just left him a little frustrated that everyone he knew who he'd always known to be smart, reasonable people, were falling for this. It couldn't really be true, could it?

"You've heard it all?"

"Yeah," Jack nodded.

"So what problem do you have with it?"

He opened his mouth to answer that, but then found that he couldn't--not exactly. He closed it again and shrugged. "What does it matter?"

Sara studied him. "Because it's important. I _do_ believe it Jack. My parents took me to church sometimes when I was a little girl, and I had several friends at work who were Christians, and I went with them every now and then too. I knew all of it before it even happened, Jack. I'd heard the prophecies, and the passages, the warnings…and when everyone vanished I knew what had happened. I was scared out of my mind. I thought I'd lost my chance, that I was going to go to hell and there was nothing I could do about it. You have no idea how relieved I felt when I heard that we had a second chance. It's all true, Jack."

"And just how do you figure that?"

"It's not hard," she smiled. "What the Bible predicted is starting to come true. The people disappearing, the rise of one man into power calling for peace…and you've heard the news announcements about the upcoming peace treaty with Israel and the rebuilding of Solomon's temple, haven't you?"

Jack's eyebrows went up. "The peace treaty I heard about--but that'll fall through before they can do it. There's no such thing as peace in the Middle East. I should know--I've been there way more than I would have liked. The temple thing I didn't hear though. Wouldn't the Muslims start killing people if the Jews tried to touch that place?"

"Usually, yes, but they're claiming that the actually site of the original temple was found 'next to' the current mosque that's there, so it won't have to be torn down, and the Muslims seem to be happy with that. Carpathia's having that temple rebuilt."

"But that's…that's bull. All of it," he protested in confusion.

She shrugged. "Watch the news Jack; it's happening. It will be rebuilt, and that treaty won't fall through. The Bible predicted both things would happen."

Jack sighed. "Look, I'll tell you what I told my friends. I'm glad you've found something to make you feel better, but it's not for me."

Sara looked at him with genuine concern. "Jack, please a least think about it…"

"Is this the only reason you wanted to see me?" he interrupted, a bit annoyed now.

She looked at him for a moment, then shook her head. "No…I really did just want to see you again, if you were going to be in town anyway…."

Jack nodded slowly. "Okay…" He was about to continue when his cell phone rang in his pocket. Sighing, he pulled it out and glanced at the number. He grimaced. "Sorry, it's the office. I've got to take this." She nodded, and he flipped it open.

"O'Neill."

"_This is Captain Baker, sir._"

Jack sighed. Of course it was. "What is it? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"_You've just received an extremely important phone call, sir._"

"And it couldn't wait until I got back?"

"_But you won't back for several days, general!_" the younger man cried, trying to justify himself.

"All right, all right, just calm down and tell me what it is. What kind of important phone call?" Jack asked, cutting him off.

He heard Baker take a deep breath. "_Uh, well, it was the secretary-general's assistant, sir, a Miss Hattie Durham…but that's not the important part, sir._"

Jack lowered his voice. "Well what is then? Why would Nicolae Carpathia's assistant be calling my office? Out of the corner of his eyes Jack noticed Sara react a bit strangely to that name-- she jerked a bit and her eyes widened, and now she was looking straight at him. Obviously she'd heard that much, anyway. He lowered his voice further. "How the _heck_ does he even know that office exsists? And even though he obviously does he can't know what it's really for…"

"_Uh, well, first off, sir, well, he does know…_"

"Know what?"

"_Everything._"

"What--?!"

"_It's not like that, sir,_" Baker said quickly. "_The leaders of the countries who know agreed to tell him. He is the new secretary-general of the United Nations_."

Jack huffed. "They've never told the U.N. anything before."

"_Well, this is different. Mr. Carpathia is on a mission to lead this planet to peace, and it might be difficult to do that without knowing things like this…"_

"Is that the reason the powers-that-be had for telling him?"

"_Yes, sir. And it does make sense, doesn't it? Nicolae Carpathia is a wonderful man. Just think what he can do for the Stargate Program after he's dealt with things here._"

"No thanks, I'd rather not."

"_General?_"

"The guy creeps me out, captain. He's making outrageous demands, and it's all too good to be true. What he wants will never happen."

"_Well, sir I must admit that you're right to be a bit skeptical, but don't you think he can do it? After what happened…_"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Jack answered, looking at his watch absently. "Now are you going to tell me what his assistant called for, or not?"

"_Yes sir, sorry sir. The secretary-general would like to meet with you._"

Jack blinked in surprise for the second time in fifteen minutes. "Carpathia wants to meet _me_? What the heck for?" His voice wasn't quite as soft anymore, now that they'd gotten off the subject of the stargate, and Sara must have heard him again. The moment he reiterated what Baker had said, she started shaking her head.

"_He's heard so much about you, and since you _are _the leader of the original SG-1, you were the commander of Stargate Command for a while, and now you're in charge of Homeworld Security…he would just like to meet you._"

"Yeah, tell him thanks but no thanks." Sara relaxed.

Baker swallowed. "_Uh, sir, it's not optional._"

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"_I have orders from the president that you're to meet with him. So far Mr. Carpathia has not met with him, but the president wants the United States on the secretary-general's good side, so he's ordered that you take the offer._"

Jack rolled his eyes. "For cryin' out loud….whatever. When?" Sara started shaking her head again.

"_There will be a plane waiting for you at the Air Force Academy strip in the morning._"

"What? Wait a minute, what about my days off?"

"_You can still have them, sir. This trip will only take tomorrow. Once you've met Mr. Carpathia in New York the plane will fly you back to Colorado._"

"Fine…" Jack sighed. He asked for the specific time and place to be to get on the plane, and the captain informed him. "Thanks, Baker."

"_You're welcome, sir. Have a safe trip._"

"Yeah, thanks." Then he hung up, and pushed phone back into his pocket. Sara was looking at him with an expression that was almost horrified.

"You're meeting Nicolae Carpathia?" she asked incredulously.

"I guess so. Apparently I don't have a choice," he shrugged.

"But you have to have a choice. Jack…you can't get anywhere near that man."

He squinted in confusion. "Why not?"

She sighed. "Did your friends tell you anything about the Antichrist?"

Jack thought a moment. "I know they mentioned that there was supposed to be one…some guy or something…but not much else."

Sara looked at him. "Well, there will be an Antichrist--there _is_ an Antichrist. He may seem good and wanting nothing more than peace for the world, but in reality he is pure evil. Later he will even be indwelt by the devil himself."

"Okay…what does that have to do with Carpathia?"

"We're pretty sure it's him."

"Who's _we_?" he questioned.

"Me and the others left behind from my friends' church, though I guess it's my church now," Sara answered, smiling a bit.

"Okay, and you think Carpathia is evil? I mean really, he's pretty misguided, but not _evil…_" Jack trailed off, not sure what else to add to that.

"He fits the bill, Jack. He's from the right part of the world, the way he came to powers fits, and he's the one who instigated the peace treaty. The Bible predicted all of that. There's no one else the Antichrist _could_ be."

"I told you: that treaty will never go through."

"It will, and then the Tribulation will begin."

Jack sighed. "The Tribulation? That's supposed to be like…seven years right? I thought we were supposedly already in that."

"Not exactly. Technically it doesn't start until the seven-year peace treaty with Israel is signed," Sara corrected.

"Whatever…"

"Jack, just promise me you'll be careful."

He looked at her for a moment, saw the genuine worry on her face, and nodded. "All right, I'll be careful. But it'd be nice if I knew what I was being careful _of_."

"Of being tricked. The Bible also says that the Antichrist will rule, and he will rule with deception. Most won't see that he's really evil until it's too late. But those that trust God will see him for what he really is, like I do."

Jack sighed. "You really o believe all this stuff, don't you?"

She smiled again then. "Yes, I do. I hope you will too."

"Sara…I respect you and all…but don't count on it."

* * *

Jack called Daniel once he'd left the coffee shop to tell him where he would be the next day, and the moment Jack hung up and Daniel set his own phone down, he grabbed the phone book and started searching for the number to the church he and Sam had gone to a couple of days before. While there, they had also heard some about the Antichrist, and since then he had read more. He wasn't sure, but Carpathia definitely seemed like the prime suspect, and even if he wasn't, the idea of Jack meeting with the guy still disturbed him.

It didn't take long to find the number, and thankfully Simon Dockett was in the office. Within moment the secretary had handed the phone over, and he was talking with the deacon-turned-preacher. He re-introduced himself, found that Simon did indeed remember him, then quickly ran over the problem with him--everything about Jack's position, and now his meeting with Nicolae Carpathia.

Daniel found that Simon was much more certain than he was that Carpathia was the Antichrist, and once he'd heard his suspicions from someone else, he decided for himself that Simon was right--it had to be Carpathia.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Daniel asked, referring to himself, Sam, and Cassie. "I don't really like the thought of my best friend talking to the most evil man on the face of the planet." Anything could happen. He'd heard the prophecies about the Antichrist. Carpathia could pull jack into his web of deception, and then they might never have a chance of reaching him. And if Jack ended up in hell, Daniel would never forgive himself.

Simon only had one point of advice to give. "_The only thing you can really do, Daniel, is pray. Pray for him, and don't stop._"


	11. Nicolae

Hmm, this chapter was a bit challenging to write. I hope you enjoy it though, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Please let me know. :) Enjoy, and have a great weekend.

Chapter 11

The next morning, Jack arrived at the academy air strip to find a plane waiting for him. He had expected it to be just a small plane, something the U.N. had been able to spare, but instead, it was Carpathia's new private plane, which had been oh-so-wishfully (In Jack's opinion, anyway) dubbed _Global Community One_. He was driven out to where the plane was parked, and as he got out of the cadet-driven jeep, the door opened. The stairs were already against the side, and a tall, dark-haired man in an air-line captain's uniform stepped out onto the top to welcome him.

Jack, who was in full uniform himself, climbed the stairs, managing to keep from wincing from his bad knees.

The other man smiled warmly and shook his hand. "You must be General Jack O'Neill. I'm Captain Rayford Steele."

"Nice to meet you, captain," Jack replied, returning the smile. Then he glanced at the _Global Community One. _"So…what's with the plane?"

Captain Steel shrugged. "The secretary-general didn't have anywhere to go today, so he sent me after you. I'll be ferrying you to New York and back."

"Sweet. I'm a pilot myself, but if I he won't let me fly myself, I like to know who's in the cockpit."

"Understandable," the other man nodded, then ushered him inside and closed the door. Jack heard the cadet outside the plane rolling the stairs away.

"So you have any idea why Carpathia wants to meet me so quickly? Enough to send his own plane to get me?" Jack asked.

Steele shrugged as he turned away from the now sealed door. "I know he's been excited about it for a couple of days, but apparently whatever you're involved with is on a strictly need-to-know basis so I don't know anymore than that."

"Ah, right, that…" Jack trailed off. Then he decided to go out on a limb. He was already starting to feel uneasy about this and would love to know why. "So, does that guy creep you out as much as he does me?"

That brought Steele up short, and the captain stared at him for a moment. "It depends on what you mean by that, general," he answered slowly, deliberately.

"Oh come on, it's pilot to pilot here. You can call me Jack."

Steele looked thoughtful as he nodded at that. "All right, then call me Rayford."

"Great! So what's the scoop on Carpathia anyway? Something about the guy doesn't ring right with me.'

Rayford glanced around. "Look, there's no one on this plane but you, me, my co-pilot, and one flight attendant, but I'd still rather wait until we're in the air to get into that kind of conversation. Why don't you have a seat, and I'll come back again once we're up?"

That left Jack a little confused, but also ultimately curious. He clapped his hands together. "Okidoki, that works for me."

Rayford nodded and headed back to the front of the plane, and Jack sat down and strapped himself in. Once the plane was in the air he moved to one of the couches, and a trim brunette flight attendant came in from the back to offer him a drink. He was fine and politely declined. She left, telling him to call her if he wanted anything, and he nodded and sat back, waiting for Captain Steele to make his re-appearance.

It took several more minutes, but then the door at the front of the room opened and Rayford slipped back in and sat across from him. Jack sat forward.

"What was that about? There something dangerous going on with Carpathia?"

The captain tipped his head to the side for a moment. "You could say that."

"Huh…well, I knew he was completely straight. I mean really, what completely sane person could think they can start world peace? And then on the flip side I have friends who think he's evil or something…"

_That_ perked Steele's interest. "You do?"

"Oh, yeah."

"What do they mean by 'evil'?"

Jack shrugged. "It has something to do with the Bible…the word they used is 'Antichrist', I think…"

"They're Christians."

"Well, only for a couple of days now, but…yeah," Jack confirmed, looking at him. "How do you know that?"

Rayford glanced around again like he had before and lowered his voice. "Because I am too. I know what they're talking about. Doesn't it make sense to you?"

"Some of it…it fits in a lot of places…but _God_?"

"It's the only explanation that works, Jack," Rayford answered, using his name for the first time.

Jack shook his head. "Maybe…and I've got to admit that those particular friends of mine…they're smart people. But how am I just supposed to start believing something like that?"

Steele smiled. "You never really just wanted to know about Carpathia, did you?"

After his mouth stopped gaping, Jack swallowed a bit and sighed. "Uh, well…not exactly, no. I mean, at the time I didn't know you were into the same stuff as my friends, but it is pretty much about that…yeah."

"You're just looking for answers. I understand. I know how you feel. My wife and son disappeared in the Rapture. All I wanted was to know where they were, that they were safe."

Jack felt the blood drain from his face. "Oh…I'm…I'm so sorry."

Rayford smiled again, but sadly. "Thanks, but it's all right. I still have my daughter Chloe with me. I miss my wife and son, but I know they're fine, and that I'll see them again."

"A few friends of mine vanished too, and I want to believe that," Jack sighed. "But…"

"But you've always been a man who didn't need God, and you can't see yourself relying on Him now, even after what happened," Steele filled in. Jack just looked at him, wondering how he could know…and then realized that the other man had probably been the same way. He looked like a strong, self-reliant man. But instead of stopping to ask him, Jack let him keep talking. "Maybe you think it will compromise your character, or that you won't be you anymore…but the truth is, you won't be. If you accept Jesus, you'll be a new person, and not just figuratively, spiritually, but literally too, if you let Him change you. But that's a good thing."

Jack just sighed again. "Yeah…"

Rayford's voice softened. "You may not believe it now, Jack, but it's all true. And things are going to be happening--unimaginable things, things not only supernatural but earthly things we never thought could happen. There will be one-world government, one-world currency, global disarmament, one-world religion, that temple will get rebuilt…"

"What? How would Carpathia pull any of that off?" Jack questioned, pulling a face. "I seriously doubt he's insane enough to try to do _all_ of that."

"You'd be surprised."

Then the plane's intercom came on, and Rayford was informed that he was needed in the cockpit. The captain sighed and stood. "Well, that's my cue to go. But I hope you'll at least think about it some more."

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

Rayford smiled and nodded, then excused himself, leaving Jack alone.

* * *

Daniel met Sam and Vala in his office in the middle of the next morning as they'd planned the night before after he'd informed them of Jack's call and his subsequent talk with Simon Dockett on the phone.

Vala was avoiding him now--all three of them. It seemed she would rather stay away from them than risk being told more about their newfound faith, which she obviously didn't agree with. Teal'c was more open, and still talked with them, though usually not on that topic. Still he mostly kept Vala company. At the moment, that wasn't bothering them. They could get to their other friends later. Right now, Jack was the one most probably in immediate danger.

They were gathering to pray for him together.

* * *

Jack didn't get a chance to talk to Rayford Steele again before the plane touched down in New York and he was ushered off of it and into an official-looking black Sedan and driven into the city.

It took a little while longer than it might have usually to drive to the U.N. building in New York City, what with the damage that wasn't cleaned up yet, but once they got there the men in the car escorting him wasted no time in getting Jack into the building and up to Carpathia's office.

When the elevator opened to the large space and he stepped out, the one man that had come up with him left, and he found himself alone in what he realized was actually only the outer office. He was alone only for a few seconds. Then a tall, slim woman with long dark-blonde hair came out from the main office.

"You're General Jack O'Neill?"

"In the flesh," Jack answered, shrugging.

She shook his hand. "Hattie Durham. I'm the one that called your office to make this appointment. Good to meet you. Nicolae hasn't been able to talk about anything else all morning. He's looking forward to meeting you."

Jack pulled his hand back when she let go and glanced past her. "Sweet. So...is he in there?"

Hattie nodded. "Yes, he's waiting. You can go on in."

"Thanks." Ms. Durham nodded, but stayed where she was, and motioned Jack toward the door into the inner office. Once he had stepped in, she closed the door.

Jack looked from the closed door behind him over to the huge desk at the other side of the room, in front of an entire wall of windows. Nicolae Carpathia stood from his plush black leather chair behind the desk.

"General O'Neill," he smiled. He came around the desk to shake Jack's hand as well. Jack had seen the man on television and thought him about his own height, but in reality the European was a bit taller. Or maybe it was just the hair.

Jack pasted on a smile in return, and waited for Carpathia to let go of his hand. The man stopped his friendly pumping after a moment and took a step back.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you after all I have heard of your adventures," he began without delay, voice heavy with a thick European accent. His smile was beatific, almost infectious, almost as if he were trying to hypnotize his guest into feeling at ease, and Jack instantly didn't trust him. Apparently most around the world were already falling for it, and he didn't plan to be one of them. His internal alarm had been going off about this guy from the start.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, Mr. Carpathia--"

"Call me Nicolae, please. May I call you Jack?"

Ha. So the guy _did_ have a not-quite-entirely-polite side. "Okay, sure, why not?" he answered, so as not to arouse suspicion.

"Perfect," Nicolae grinned. "I hope that we will become good friends."

Jack shrugged. "Sure. So…what did they tell you?"

"Well, of course I was informed about the Stargate program and--oh, but where are my manners? Please, sit." The European motioned to the seat opposite his desk, which was nice but not as plush at the rolling chair behind the desk. Jack nodded in thanks and sat, and Carpathia returned to his own chair. Jack raised his eyebrows at him to urge him to continue.

"Yes, well, I now know of the Stargate program, and some of its more major accomplishments, which includes the facts that it seems you have saved this planet and everyone on it from certain destruction on more than one occasion, Jack."

"Yeah, well, those weren't just me, uh, Nicolae. It was me and my team, SG-1."

Carpathia nodded. "Yes, of course I know about SG-1 as well. I hope to be able to meet all of them as soon as possible."

"Why didn't you just fly all of them out here today?"

"I would have, but I am afraid that I have too much to discuss with only you. I was not able to clear enough hours of my schedule today to meet with all of you. At the moment, you hold the highest position, even above Stargate Command as the director of Homeworld Security, so I chose you."

"I'm flattered."

Nicolae smiled that unnerving smile. "I would hope so. Being in my position at this time in history is quite trying. There is much to be done."

"Huh. Yeah, about that...what've you got planned?" He might as well take advantage of this opportunity, while he had to be here.

Carpathia sat forward eagerly and clasped his hands on the top of the desk in front of him. "Oh, quite a lot. The peace treaty with Israel is already going as planned. The date is set for the beginning of next week, and that will be announced worldwide tomorrow. And of course the signing itself will be broadcast as well. After that, the rebuilding of the temple will begin."

"Okay, what I want to know is how you got everybody in the Middle East to agree to that. They've been fighting each other for hundreds--no, thousands of years."

"That part was easy--Doctor Rosenzweig's Eden formula. They all want it."

"That stuff that makes grain grow in the desert and other bad soil and all?" It had been revealed to the world about a month or so before the vanishings, just before Russia's failed attack on Israel that still remained a mystery.

He nodded. "Yes, of course. Granted, I had hoped I could simply make them understand the need for peace at a time like this, but in the end it came down to that."

"Sweet…then what?"

"There is even more to do after that," Carpathia smiled. "There are many things I hope that this world can accomplish in not too much time: one government, one currency, one religion…though of course the global disarmament will have to come first. The countries of this world must be able to trust each other first and foremost. Plans for these things are already taking shape. I am quite proud of my new staff, to say the least."

_All of that's bull,_ was the first thought that entered Jack's mind, but it was quickly overtaken by shock. He hadn't believed that Carpathia really thought all of that was possible, much less was thinking about and planning ways to do it. And so far, people all over the world had been listening to and agreeing with this guy. They were all rallying behind him. That was when his mind really started to consider that Daniel, and Carter, and Cassie, and this new Rayford guy…really might be right.

_They really knew this stuff…the Bible was right about that part…what else am I missing?_


	12. Brainwashing

Ack, this would have been up much earlier today, but the server was down, or busy, r something, so...anyway. Here it is now. I'm sorry it's not terribly long, but I end chapters where it seems right to for me. But I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think when you're done, reviews help so much thanks to all of you who have been leaving tham. :)

Chapter 12

It was a couple of hours past midday, and Daniel was in his office working on a translation left over from before the vanishings, when suddenly he dropped what he was doing and ran to Sam's lab. He caught the edge of the open doorway nearest him to swing himself inside and stopped.

"Sam, I--"

She turned around, a concerned look on her face. "I know. I feel it too."

At that very moment Cassie came skidding to a stop just inside the lab as well. "Guys…?" she asked.

"Us too," Daniel answered.

Cassie swallowed and nodded and both she and Daniel stepped farther into the room toward Sam. "What do you think is wrong?"

Daniel shook his head. "I have no idea, but I do know that something is telling all of us to pray for Jack again--_now_."

Sam nodded and held out her hands. Daniel instinctively took Cassie's hand in one of his as both of them took one of Sam's hands with their other. "Let's do it then."

* * *

Jack had been stuck in Carpathia's office for two or three hours now. He wasn't sure how long, but he did know that a few minutes ago Nicolae had mentioned that they didn't have much time left. The European had been asking him questions about his time as the leader of SG-1, Stargate Command itself, and what was going on at Homeworld Security. He answered, having been ordered by the president to tell this man whatever he wanted to know, to be nice to him, and all that political jazz. _This_ was why he almost hadn't taken the second promotion. Heck, he'd barely taken the first on. He'd be a lot happier if he were still with SG-1, but his country, and his planet, needed him elsewhere doing other things. Oi. 

Finally, Carpathia glanced at the clock on the wall and announced that their time was up; he had a meeting to get to in a few minutes. Being in the same room with this guy was still disconcerting, and Jack couldn't have been more relieved. After all, what if the guy really was who Daniel and Sara had said he was?

Jack smiled politely and stood, but before he could offer a farewell Hattie Durham came scurrying into the office with a disturbed look on her face.

"Miss Durham, what is it? I asked you not to bother us."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, but we've just received some important news, uhm…" She glanced at Jack uncertainly, seemingly not sure if he should be allowed to hear what she had to say.

Carpathia stood, and beckoned her closer and then to continue. Hattie stood beside the desk and spoke softly, but Jack could hear easily anyway. Apparently Carpathia didn't car if he heard, but Miss Durham was still uncomfortable with him in the room as well.

"Those two old men who have been preaching at the Wailing Wall have been attacked again. Three of the men who took part in the attack were burned to death, mysteriously, just like the first two," she informed them, face concerned.

Jack had heard something about that on the news…two robed and bearded men, claiming their names to be Eli and Moishe, had been at the wailing Wall since just after the vanishings, and had been preaching Christianity….which of course angered the Jews to no end--but anyone who tried to remove or harm them was stopped somehow. No one knew how yet, but it was happening. Last week two men had attacked them, and had been killed by fire. No one had been able to confirm where it had come from.

The news concerned Jack too, but for some reason it seemed to anger Carpathia even more. Before Jack realized how much, the European's face had gone completely red, and his hand had closed tightly around the stapler on the desk in front of him.

"What?! After all the precautions we took to keep people away from them! I want an explanation!" he shouted. Then, in a sudden burst of anger, he picked up the metal stapler and threw it down on the ground with such force that it broke into several pieces. Yikes.

Hattie stared at him, dumbfounded and even looking a little afraid, and stepped back a couple of feet.

"N-Nicolae…"

Carpathia whirled on her, but then suddenly relaxed and straightened his suit jacket. "I am sorry. That was not appropriate of me." He swung his gaze to stare into the eyes of both of them. Jack found that he couldn't move. Not literally…but his body didn't seem to want to--or to speak. Hattie looked to be in the same condition.

Nicolae continued quietly, smoothly. "Now, I know that only two the two of you saw that, and I know that I can trust 'you', Miss Durham, and I would you that I can trust you, General O'Neill, but you must understand that I cannot take chances. I must not let anyone think that I am a man easy to anger, or violent in anyway, given the campaign I am on. Therefore, neither of you will remember what just happened as it happened."

Jack mind was frozen, spinning. What? How could he say that? Sure, there was alien technology that could alter memory or control the mind, but Carpathia didn't have any access to it, and if he had it wasn't here. There was nothing unusual in this room beside the now broken stapler on the floor. How did he plan to pull that off? The audacity. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't speak up. Carpathia went on, his voice silky.

"Miss Durham, you will remember coming in here, upset about the news you had to give, and in telling it waving your arms with emotion, and knocking the stapler off the desk by accident with such force that it was broken. General O'Neill, you will remember seeing her do this. Neither of you will remember my unbecoming outburst. It did not happen. Do you understand?"

Hattie nodded, eyes vacant. That seemed to be what Nicolae was looking for from Jack, so he nodded as well. But no, he didn't understand. What was he trying to pull?

Carpathia smiled and nodded, then moved back to the spot he had been standing when Hattie told him the news. And all of a sudden Miss Durham snapped back to life.

"Oh! Oh, Nicolae, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to do that!" she cried in genuine alarm, bending to pick up the broken stapler. "I'm so sorry. I'll pay for a new one."

The European shook his head and patted her shoulder. "It is all right, Miss Durham, it is all right. I understand you are upset. It is fine. It is only a stapler. I can easily procure a new one."

Was he hearing this right? From what Jack could hear, either Hattie was very loyal to her boss and willing to take his crap and take the blame for whatever he wanted her to, or she really believed and remembered herself knocking off the stapler, which of course hadn't happened. The first didn't seem very likely at all, but with all of things he'd seen over the years, the second seemed possible. The question was, how? And why hadn't he been affected if Carpathia really could control the mind to some extent?

Nicolae thanked Miss Durham for bringing her report; Hattie apologized a few more times and backed out of the room, taking the broken stapler with her. Once she was gone, Jack heard a 'thump' that was probably the device being dumped a in a trash can.

Carpathia turned his attention back to Jack. "I am sorry about that; my assistant is quite an emotional woman." So obviously he thought Jack has bought it too. Okay, he could play that game.

"Ahh…yeah. Noticed," was all he said. "So uh…I guess I'd better be going. It's been fun."

"Indeed it has been, shall I say…enlightening? I hope that we can meet again at some time."

"Sure," Jack replied noncommittally. Then he left as quickly as he could without being suspicious. Carpathia didn't insist on shaking his hand again in farewell, and for some reason Jack was extremely relieved for that. He got back out to the waiting car quickly, and then sat back for the return ride to JFK, which was just starting to get up and running again--barely.

His mind was spinning again, but this time in a totally different direction. He had to talk to Steele again. Or someone.

* * *

On the flight back to Colorado, Steele didn't make it back to where Jack was until about midway through the flight, where the general was waiting impatiently. 

Jack jumped up as soon as he saw the captain. "Hey, Ray, thanks. We've really gotta talk."

Rayford urged him to sit again, then sat himself. "All right, what is it? How'd it go with Carpathia?"

"You don't even want to know…but I have a feeling you want me to tell you anyway," he replied. Steele nodded an affirmative, so he dove in. It took twenty minutes, but he related the biggest of the story, most of it about the exceedingly strange occurrence just before he'd left the U.N. building.

Rayford was nodding before he was even finished. "We knew about his ability to do that."

"And you didn't warn me??"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think it was relevant for the type of meeting with him you were going to. I never could have guessed he would be trying to screw around with people's brains while just chatting with you about who-knows-what," he apologized.

He had a point though, and Jack sighed. "Yeah…sorry. But how did you know? Where else has he done it?"

"Do you remember that private U.N. where it was reported that Jonathan Stonogal grabbed a guard's gun, killed Cothran, and then himself?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's not what happened."

"What do you mean?"

Rayford sat forward and lowered his voice. "One man in that room was a Christian, and I know him. What really happened was, Carpathia had discovered that Stonogal and Cothran were using him--or so they thought, but he was actually using them to get where he wanted to be, and now that he's there he needed them out of the way. So 'Carpathia' had the guard give him his gun, and the guard did it because there was no evidence he was going to hurt anyone with it. But then he shot both of them, put the gun in Stonogal's hand, and brainwashed the whole room."

Jack just stared at him. "_Carpathia _killed them?"

"Yes."

He thought about that for a moment, but he didn't need to. He could believe Carpathia would do that. He didn't trust the guy at all. And if what he'd seen was evidence that he really could make people believe they had seen something they hadn't, then it made perfect sense. But if that was true, and he could do that, he might be able to do other things too, not to mention that his friends, the Bible, even, had been right about the things Carpathia was planning, and if that was true too, then--

"Oh my god…"

"Exactly," Rayford said quietly.

Jack looked up at him. "What?"

"Exactly," he repeated. "It was only through God's intervention and protection that my friend wasn't brainwashed with the rest of them."

"But…you said that guy was a Christian at the time. I'm…well, not."

"So you've said, and He protected you even though you're not one of His yet. What does that tell you?"

He couldn't think. "I don't know."

"He wants you, Jack. He wants you to be part of His family. He wants you to accept his son's free gift of salvation. All you have to do is believe it and except it."

Jack swallowed. "All of this was actually starting to make sense now--go figure. "Look, I uh….I think I'm starting to get this, but…I'd rather talk to my friends some more first. No offense, but you're kind of still a bit of a stranger and all…"

Rayford nodded. "It's all right, I understand. Your friends should be able to help you from here, but…" He tracked down a sticky note pad, scribbled down a couple of things with a pen he pulled from his uniform jacket, then pulled it off and handed it to him. Jack took it as the captain explained.

"There, that's the e-mail address and phone number of my church outside of Chicago. My pastor, Bruce Barnes, will probably be the one to answer either, at first, but he can direct you to me, and, well, he'd help you anyway, but tell him you know me."

Jack nodded, folded the piece of paper and put it away in his pants pocket. "Thanks, Ray. You've helped a lot…"

Rayford smiled. "Glad to be of service."

* * *

Jack had told them before he left not to wait up for him to get back to the SGC, since it would probably be late, but they did anyway. When he'd known, he'd called and told them what time it would be, exactly, and they'd told him to meet them in Daniel's room. Now he would be back soon, and the three of them were sprawled around the room, waiting anxiously. 

Cassie was draped over a chair, Sam had claimed the couch, and Daniel jumped up from sitting on his bed when the door opened.

"Hey," he smiled as Jack shuffled in and shut the door behind him. But Jack wasn't smiling. He looked…almost disturbed. But there was definitely something different in his eyes now than there had ever been before.

"Sir? What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Well, nothing--not exactly."

"Then what is it?" Cassie questioned. "Are you okay? How's it go?"

The general shrugged. "It went okay, I guess. Nothing 'bad' happened, really, but uhm…well, it's kind of a long story," he answered, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

"Like what?" Daniel frowned, concerned.

Jack finally looked up and straight at them. "Well, to make a long story short--I believe you now."

Sam stared. "What?"

"Okay…" he sighed. "I guess I'd better explain." So they all settled back in the seats they'd had before, Jack perching on the foot of the bed, and explain he did. By the time he had, Daniel, Sam, and Cassie were even more convinced that Nicolae Carpathia was the prophesied Antichrist, and they were also all excited about Jack's new mindset. When the general stopped talking, Daniel was the first to speak up again.

"So…."

Jack turned and looked at him, though a little sheepishly. "Soo…I believe you. If you want to explain all that stuff again that'd be nice…I uh, I want to do it."

Daniel didn't think he'd ever grinned as widely as he was grinning now.


	13. Saved

Okidoki, here's the next chapter. Didn't mean to take long but it took a while to type was long...nvm. So anyway, hope you enjoy it. :) It was fun writing. I hope you'll let me know what you think when you're done; that always helps so much I love you guys thanks for all the reviews so far!

Chapter 13

Jack opened his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "Wow…" he breathed quietly. He had never felt quite like this…he didn't know how to explain it. But he knew he hadn't made a mistake. He'd never really prayed before, but apparently this one had worked.

Before he could even lift his head again Cassie was squeezing the air out of him, and her happy giggling was in his ear. Not knowing what else to do, Jack just smiling and hugged back. When she pulled back, her face was damp, and he could see that Carter was crying a bit too. Giving her a smile, he hugged her too, while Cassie grinned and dried her cheeks.

"Come on, Carter, be happy. I'm party of your club now," he joked.

"I am happy, sir," she answered sincerely, holding on tightly for a moment. "I don't know what we would have done if something had happened and you'd never--if you'd ended up--"

"I know," he interrupted. "It's okay…I know." _If Carpathia had brainwashed me, or something had happened in the near future to kill me, and I'd ended up in hell…Yeah, that would not have been good. Still having a little trouble swallowing all of this, but I still get _that_ part…_

Carter nodded against his shoulder and clung to him for another few seconds before sitting back again. Now they were all sitting on the bed, because they had all come over to pray with him. When Carter let go, Jack's attention turned to Daniel. The younger man was staring down at the bedspread, his face turned away. It wasn't immediately apparent why until he sucked in a shaky breath.

"Daniel…?"

Daniel sighed and lifted his head. His face was dry, but his eyes were wet. "Sorry…" he started, then had to stop and clear his throat because he voice came out choked. Jack patted his shoulder, and Daniel gave him a small, embarrassed smile. "Sorry. It's just….what Sam said. I was worried about the same thing until you said you wanted to pray. I didn't want anything to happen to you, and I'm just--I'm so relieved…"

Jack sighed and smiled. "Aww, Daniel…" he chuckled, and pulled his friend into his arm. Daniel welcomed the embrace, and returned it happily.

"Thanks guys," Jack said honestly once he'd let go, and was looking at the three of them. Then he smirked. "I guess my life's gonna get a lot different now, huh?"

Daniel stopped trying to dry his eyes inconspicuously--which was failing; it was obvious to all of them--and nodded. "Things are definitely going to be different for you now…for all of us. And it'll get even harder later, but we're in this together."

"The more the merrier?"

"Something like that, sir," Carter smiled.

"Sweet," Jack said. "So…is this it? Just the four of us?"

"For right now," Cassie answered.

"But that'll change, we hope," Daniel added. "Of course we'll invite others to church with us, and do whatever else we can. Just because _we're_ saved now doesn't mean our job is over, Jack. The point is to tell others."

Jack nodded. "Makes sense. That'll take some getting used to though…"

"That's okay."

"What about Teal'c though? And vala? What do they think about all this?"

Carter winced. "They've kind of been avoiding us since we started talking about it, actually…"

"They're obviously the next we should specifically be working on, though," Daniel said thoughtfully. "And the General Landry."

"And Doctor Lam," Sam pointed out.

"Right…"

Jack butted in. "But besides that, we're supposed to like, what, tell whoever we can? Like, so they don't go to hell and all?"

Cassie grinned. "You've got it. Who says you can't teach on old dog new tricks?"

"I resent that," he retorted teasingly.

There was a short round of laughter, and then the room felt silent for several seconds. But Jack still had so many questions he needed answers to.

"So…what else? What's next?"

"You mean as in the Tribulation?" Daniel questioned.

"Yeah, that thing."

The younger man took a deep breath. "Well, I'm sure that before this happened, we'd all _heard_ things about it." There were nods all around. "And aside from that, as I said, I've also been reading the Bible for myself. Apparently the tribulation doesn't officially start until that peace treaty with Israel is signed. But once that happens, basically the earth has seven years. Then Jesus comes back again, rules for a thousand years, then heaven, etcetera, etcetera."

"Then we have about seven years plus half a week," Jack added. They looked at him. "Carpathia told me the date was set for early next week, and it's Friday." He glanced at the clock. "Make that Saturday. But whatever, you get what I mean."

"What else did he tell you?" Carter asked.

"Yikes, well, you know all that stuff he's supposed to do to the political world and the economy, and the world's religion, yadda yadda…? Well, he's already planning all of it. And he ain't shy about it, either. Oh yeah, and he wants to meet SG-1, too."

"If that's optional, I don't think we should," Daniel said immediately.

"You may not have a choice," Jack pointed out. "I didn't."

"I know, sir, but he's right. If it turns out that he do have a choice, we should all stay away from him as much as possible."

Cassie shuddered. "No kidding; not arguing there."

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, good point, but I guess we'll have to play it by ear." They all nodded again. "Hey…Daniel?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"What about all the kids?" That was one of the things that was still eating at him. "Pretty much every kid on the planet under ten or so disappeared. Why them?"

Carter and Daniel glanced at each other. "Uhm, I'm not entirely sure how to explain it," he began after a moment. "The guy who was speaking at the church did touch on it, and I guess he tried to make it clear, but I'm still fuzzy on it--or how to explain it, anyway. It makes sense, but-"

"Daniel. Just tell me what you know."

"Okay, sorry. Basically, what he said was that children that young are--were too young to fully comprehend that they needed a savior and why. Granted, kids that young can get saved, but that doesn't mean they understand it all, because they _can't_ yet. So they can't be blamed for not doing it, or something like that…so they were all taken too."

"Ah…" he fell silent for a moment, then hesitantly spoke up again. "What about…the kids who, ya know, died that young before the whole rapture thing…"

Daniel smiled; of course he knew why Jack would ask that. "They go to heaven too, as far as I've heard. I don't see any reason why it would be otherwise."

Jack sat up straighter. "Really? So they're there now?"

"Should be, sir," Sam answered.

"So do you think…?" _Do you think I'll see Charlie again someday? Is my son waiting there for me? And for Sara?_ And if that was right…was even possible that they could be family again in some capacity? In heaven? He didn't dare hope…but the thought was there just the same.

Carter, Daniel, and Cassie just smiled.

* * *

The next afternoon, Teal'c sighed and pulled himself out of his meditative state when there was a knock on his door. Though he had been without a symbiote for going on four years now, kel'no'riming was still something it was comfortable for him to do at times. It helped in stressful situations, and considering recent events, he had been doing it even more often in the past couple of weeks.

The jaffa opened his eyes and called for whoever it was to enter.

"O'Neill," he acknowledged, giving a small smile as the general stepped into his room. Teal'c stood. "You have returned from New York City."

Jack shrugged. "Ya; you heard about that huh?"

"Daniel Jackson did mention to me that you were going there to speak with this Nicolae Carpathia."

"Ah …still kel'no'riming I see."

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded. "Did your meeting go well?"

"Depends on what you mean by _well_. The guy tried to brainwash me."

Teal'c frowned. "He attempted to talk you into agreeing with him?" He didn't have as much trouble with human expressions as he had in the past, and he was pretty sure that was what that one meant.

But O'Neill shook his head. "No, T, I mean he really tried to brainwash me. As in he's got some kind of kind powers or something."

"But how is that possible? Is he not merely a human?"

"Oh, he's human all right, but he's something else too." Jack sighed and stepped over to sit down in the chair in front of Teal'c's desk. Teal'c sat on the edge of the bed facing him.

"What do you mean, O'Neill?"

"Something happened he didn't want me or the secretary or whatever she was to remember, and all he did was talk and lay out some crappy counter explanation, and suddenly her memory was different. Mine had felt like it wanted to change too; while he'd been talking, I felt like I was frozen or something. But it didn't entirely work on me. It was creepy."

Teal'c blinked; he didn't know how this could be true, but he knew that O'Neill had no reason to lie to him. "That is indeed strange," he admitted slowly.

"Ya think? I did. It sure got me thinking…."

"About what?" Teal'c asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Jack looked at him. "Well, about all that stuff Daniel and Carter and Cassie have been talking about, pretty much."

Teal'c sighed inwardly. Yes, he knew what they believed now, and he would not deny that it could be true, but it was difficult to believe for him, after so much time serving false gods. How could he simply immediately accept another god if he didn't know if it was real? Granted, many of the things his friends had told him made sense and fit in the circumstances, with everything….but….

"Why is that?"

"Well, there's the whole Antichrist thing, and they thought he was it. There's not much doubt now. For me either."

"Do you know believe as they do?" Teal'c asked quizzically. He would not think different of O'Neill if he did--he didn't think less of his other friends, either. He just wanted to know.

Jack hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, Teal'c. I do. It just makes so much sense. And what other explanation for the vanishings would really work? It fits. Not to mention that, well, no matter how much I joke, if there really is a hell I'd rather not go there. And after being around Carpathia I'm pretty sure there is one--and he's from it."

So O'Neill did believe the same now. O'Neill did not trust easily at all, and if _he _believed it…

"But if these things are true, then what of those besides humans?"

"Well, from what I heard it wasn't just humans that disappeared. There were small pockets of jaffa, and even a few Tok'ra, believe it or not, and others too. It's not just for humans, or just for earth. Apparently salvation is for everybody. Not that I claim to know a lot yet. Pretty much everything I do know I learned from Daniel, carter, and Cassie either while they were trying to tell me yesterday or today when I let them. We've been Bible studying all morning. It's actually a lot more interesting than I thought it was."

Teal'c smiled a bit. "When I mentioned years ago that I was reading some of the Bible and you told me that you were listening to it on tape, you were not being truthful were you?"

"No, not really. I started in Genesis and got bored around chapter two. I'd stopped a long time before I told you that," O'Neill answered ruefully.

Teal'c _had_ read much of the Bible, but at the time, it had only been what he'd said it was--fascinating. A good story. It had meant nothing more to him than that then.

"I see…so what are you discovering now?"

"A lot, actually," Jack said eagerly, and it was the first time in a long while that Teal'c had seen him so excited about something. "You should see all the stuff the last book in there says is gonna happen later. It's some really crazy stuff, but I have a feeling it'll be pretty sweet to see.

"But getting back to your question, well that one I don't have a solid answer for because we don't know exactly how it fits with humans on other planets and other species. The others have some good theories though, like that maybe it happened everywhere--"

"'It'?"

"What?" Jack asked, caught off guard. "Oh, yeah 'it'--Jesus dying to save us from our sins and all." Teal'c must have had a strange look on his face, because nest O'Neill said, "Yeah, I know this sounds kinda whacked coming from a guy like me--or maybe that's just who I 'used' to be--but either way, it's still true." He shook his head, seemingly amazed at himself. Or confused. "Listen to me. I sound like an old fashioned Bible Thumper and I don't even care." He smiled genuinely. "But that's what it does to you Teal'c. It's great."

Teal'c had to admit, that with Jack O'Neill sitting here in his room, acting like he was, feeling as he did about what he now believed, the jaffa was beginning to find himself thinking on it more seriously himself. And O'Neill was still talking.

"--'re going to church together on Sunday. You can come if you want."

Startled by the sudden invitation, Teal'c remained silent at first.

"T?"

Teal'c mulled the idea over in his mind for a few seconds more, then finally nodded. "I believe I will O'Neill. That is all I can promise, but I will go to this church with you and our friends."

The general's face brightened even more at that. "Great! Listen, I got some stuff to do right now, so I'd better go. Everybody's meeting in the commissary for dinner tonight though, at about eighteen hundred."

"I will be there."

Jack stood and clapped him on the back. "Later, buddy." Then he left, the sudden absence of his energy leaving the room feeling almost dreary in it's wake.

* * *

Jack passed Daniel in the hallway on the way from Teal'c's room and stopped him. "Hey, Daniel, guess what?"

Daniel glanced up from the open folder he had in his hands. "What, Jack?"

"Teal'c's coming to church with us Sunday," he grinned.

"He is?" the younger man blinked in surprise.

"Yep. I told about what happened with Carpathia and some other stuff…I'm not sure what exactly he believed right now, but I'm pretty sure he's doing some good thinking, anyway. And he promised he'd come."

"That's great Jack." Now Daniel smiled ironically. "You made more progress with him in one conversation than the other three of us could in three days."

Jack held up a finger. "Don't underestimate yourself, Daniel. He wouldn't have agreed to it if he hadn't already heard a lot of stuff from you guys. Besides, wasn't there some in there about it all being God's doing anyway and not ours?"

"Good point," Daniel chuckled. "Yes, the Bible does say that--I can't remember where right now. But it's more than one place."

"Sweet." Then Jack sighed. "Daniel, thirty-six hours ago I was so sure there wasn't even a god that I all but called you, one of my best friends, crazy for thinking there was, and now not only do I believe, but I feeling like jumping up and down or something just because Teal'c agreed to come to church with us. Tell me honestly: is there something wrong with me? I'm not being me…err…exactly."

Daniel smiled and shook his head. :No, Jack, there's nothing wrong with you. That's normal. You're definitely still you--your insane, snarky self, but you're….well, I guess it just makes sense to say you're free now. We all are."

"Huh…" He thought about that for just a moment, and it made sense. It fit what he was feeling, and the new part of him that believed knew it was right. He was free from sin, and from the worry that he might end up in hell, or anything like that…and he'd never been happier in his life. Considering the condition the world was in right now, only a little over two weeks after the disappearances, and there was no way a normal person could be this happy unless it really was divine.

Jack smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, guess I am."

With his message imparted, Jack let Daniel go on his way, and then went to the room he'd been assigned to use while he was here. He picked up the phone, and dialed Sara's number.

"_Hello_?"

"Hey, Sara. It's me." He would have called the night before, once the group had broken up, but it had been too late, and he had been with them again this morning.

"_Jack? Hi. How did it go? Is everything all right?_"

"Whoa, easy, I'm fine. Everything's great," Jack answered, smiling to himself.

"_Great_?" she asked. He hadn't known a person could express hope and apprehension in the tone of the same single word.

"Yeah, just great. Let's see, I went to new York, met some Christian guy on the plane and talked to him for a while, almost got brainwashed by Carpathia and completely freaked out, came back to Colorado convinced the guy is evil, got saved, convinced another friend of mine to come to church with me and those of us that are already, and I've never felt better in my life. Yep, I'd say things are great."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for several seconds.

"_What_?" she gasped out finally. "_You mean you're--_"

"A Christian now? Yeah, pretty much. Sounds crazy to me too, but oh well."

She laughed. "_Jack, thank goodness. You don't know how happy that makes me._"

"Actually, I sorta do…" He swallowed and lowered his voice some. "Sara, I think we'll see Charlie again when we get there." He didn't have to tell her where 'there' was. She knew.

"I _know, Jack,_" she replied quietly after a moment. "_I know we will_."

There were sudden tears in his eyes, and Jack blinked them back in annoyance. "Yeah…." He swallowed again, harder this time. "Hey uh…me and my friends are going to church together tomorrow, and I was kinda wondering if you'd meet us there too. I know you go to a different one, but I'd really like you to meet them and all…"

She thought about that for a moment. "_All right…I guess I could. Which one is it and when does the morning service start?_"

"Uhm…what did Daniel say…it was something like The Springs or something--"

"_New Springs Church_? _I go to that church. The one near the mountain_?"

"Yeah. Really; you go there too? Were you there Wednesday night?"

"_Yes._"

"Huh. Sweet. That's when Carter and Daniel were there."

"_I might have seen them. But then again I don't know what they look like._"

"Yeah…well, you did see them once, about nine years ago…" he didn't go into detail. She probably remembered the incident as well he did, with the crystal alien that had taken his shape, and then Charlie's…and she had seen it, and the rest of SG-1, but only for a couple of minutes. And she'd never been introduced to his team.

"_Oh…_" was the only answer she gave to that. "_Well, I'll meet them tomorrow morning, since we'll all be at my church. Meet you out in the side parking lot_?"

"Yeah. Okay, sure. Great. See you then."

He could hear her chuckling on the other end of the line. "_See you then, Jack._"

She hung up, and so did he, sending up a quick prayer of thanks.


	14. Amazing Grace

Whoops, didn't mean to take so long! Sorry guys, but this other little plot bunny wouldn't go away, so I had to get it out. Thus the new short story "Come Clean". Thanks to those of you who've reveiwed it. :) But anyway, now I'm back on this. Sorry this chapter is a bit short too, but I stop where it seems right, and this chap flowed out right, and I didn't feel comfortable making it longer or shorter of anything, it just came as is, so here ya go. I hope you like though, and I can't wait to hear what you think. :) Thanks!

Chapter 14

Vala didn't show up to eat with everyone else Saturday evening, and Daniel didn't see her at breakfast the next morning either. By the time he was dressed for church, though, there wasn't time to go looking for her elsewhere. But determined not to let himself be too heavy hearted--after all, Teal'c was coming--he went to meet the others at the elevator.

He'd been lost in his thought and concerns over Vala, and was the last to get there. Jack, who was leaning against the wall, straightened.

"Nice of you to join us," he teased.

Daniel shrugged and smiled, then noticed that Jack was in khaki pants and a collared dress shirt. "I didn't overdress, did I?" he asked, glancing down at his suit.

"Nah, T's in a suit too."

Daniel looked back up and saw Teal'c then, was, in fact, also in a suit. And the women were in dresses. Okay.

"Great, so…who's driving? How many vehicles?"

"Two," Sam answered. "Cassie's with me and you and Teal'c are with him."

"Sounds good," Daniel nodded. "Should we go then?"

"Let's went," the general agreed.

It didn't take long to get to the church, and once they had all climbed out of the vehicles in the side parking lot--which was quickly filling up--a middle-aged woman with short, graying brownish-blonde hair started toward them from where she'd been waiting by the corner of the church building. If Daniel remembered correctly from the one time nine years ago that he'd seen her, this was Sara O'Neill.

Jack raised a hand and waved, and she went to him first for a hug that he returned happily. "We're here," he smiled.

"Good," she nodded as she stood back to see all of them. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Guys, this is Sara. Sara, this is the guys." He gestured to each of them in turn, "Daniel, Sam, Cassie, and…Murray."

"It's good to meet all of you," Sara smiled, shaking hands with each of them.

"I had no idea you went to this church," Sam marveled. "It's such a great coincidence."

"Yeah…" She trailed off and looked back and forth between Sam and Daniel. "Were you two sitting the back during the service Wednesday night? And ran out early?"

Daniel's eyebrows went up. "Uh, yeah. You were there then too?"

"I've been to every service since the rapture," she admitted. "I'm pretty good friends with Simon Dockett, the man who's been preaching since then."

"Met him."

"Was it you two he caught up to outside?"

"Yeah," Sam answered sheepishly. "It's my fault we left. I ran out and Daniel followed me. That's when both of us got saved though."

"That's wonderful. I'm so glad all of you came. I guess we'll be seeing each other regularly if you decide to continue coming to this church as well."

"Where else would we go?" Daniel shrugged.

"Speaking of going, shouldn't we be going inside?" Jack pointed out.

"I'm with him," Cassie giggled. "Let's go in already."

Of course. Neither Jack nor Cassie had yet actually been to church since the rapture, and now, being new Christians, they wanted more than what they could get reading for themselves. Daniel had been having that feeling too.

Everyone agreed, and the six-strong group heading toward the building. Simon was standing at the door greeting those that came in.

"There you are, Sara. Where'd you run off to?" he admonished smilingly.

"I went o get these guys from the parking lot," she answered. "These are the people I told you about--my ex-husband Jack, and his friends."

"Samantha and Daniel I've met. It's nice to meet you, Jack, and you two are…"

"Cassie and Murray," Jack filled in again.

Simon nodded. "Great. Welcome to New Springs Church, all of you." Then he chuckled a bit. "But I'd better let Sara get you inside and find seats now, before there aren't anymore.

Sara lead them inside, and found an almost empty row about halfway up which she ushered them into.

"So, how long have you been going to this church?" Jack asked as they sat down.

"Regularly, only this couple of weeks or so, friends from work started dragging me here with them every now and then about three years ago," Sara shrugged.

"Ah…"

Jack trailed off when Simon came up to the front of the auditorium, welcomed those there, and began the service. This time there was a short singing session. Apparently the choir director had also vanished--small wonder--so Simon led the songs himself. There 'was' piano accompaniment, however, even if it wasn't perfect. Daniel sang happily, if not all that loudly, and noticed that everyone else was singing, except for Teal'c. Even Jack was giving it a good shot. Thankfully most of the few songs that were sung were generally familiar. Only three were sung, and the last was _Amazing Grace_. Never before had that song meant more to him.

_Amazing grace; how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

_I once was lost, but now am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

Sam was standing right beside him, and Daniel caught sight of tears in her eyes during the last chorus. Cassie looked the same. He swallowed hard himself. Jack was grinning as the song ended, and at some point his arm had gone around Sara's shoulder.

_Thank you, Jesus--thank you for saving me even though I _really _didn't deserve it._

Teal'c was looking at all of them strangely, but none of them cared.

* * *

Teal'c did not make a decision during that service. He knew his friends were somewhat disappointed, and the words of the preacher had helped him to understand more, but this was not something someone such as a jaffa could rush into. He needed time to think, to meditate on the words, their meaning, the implications of making such a decision. He understood the theology, but felt no pull, didn't quite understand just what it was all about.

So, he watched his friends, really watched them now instead of avoiding them as he had at first, and noticed the changes in them. It had began at the church, with the expressions on their faces and the joy at they sang--enough to move Samantha Carter and Cassandra Fraiser almost to tears and to make O'Neill seem happier than Teal'c had seen him in years.

It seemed that this God they believed in now had made it possible for the broken relationship between O'Neill and his wife to be mended into a comfortable friendship almost overnight, and other things. The number of words labeled as 'swear' words on earth that came from their mouths severely diminished and in most cases disappeared altogether. It was a lifetime habit and one came out every now and then, but he could see that they were making an effort not to do it.

Daniel Jackson, who would normally have become quickly agitated when Vala MalDoran was not listening to him, seemed to be patiently waiting her out, while at the same time being kinder than usual to her--and to Teal'c himself. This was also true of O'Neill, who as usually even more impatient than Daniel.

Teal'c watched as, over the next half week, more joined the fold of new Christians at Stargate Command--Doctor Carolyn Lam, the stubborn daughter of the general turned stubborn new believer, Seargeant Siler, and Colonel Reynolds of SG-3. He saw change in them as well, and finally…he realized that he wanted what all of them had.

Wednesday he sat in on the morning Bible study the seven believers had together, only listening. But by the time they were done, he was sure he wanted to believe as they did. It had seemed almost heretic at first, considering the life he'd led in the past…but now he finally felt the peace that the others talked about so readily--that it really was _right._ He could not explain it, but it came that morning, watching his friends read the words of their God, and praying to him so easily, personally. Teal'c wanted to know a God who would have such a relationship each of his subjects. That had never even been an option for the Goa'uld. They ruled out of fear. This God ruled with love.

He went to church with them again that night, where Sara O'Neill sat with the enlarged group. This time Teal'c listened much more intently. Simon Dockett spoke of the treaty that was to be signed the next day, which would be televised worldwide. It would signal the real beginning of the seven-year Tribulation, and the beginning of the end for the world. It would be the beginning of a time of hardship for the new believers that might not begin immediately, but it would happen.

Teal'c had heard this concept explained more than once, from Daniel Jackson, O'Neill, and now from Dockett. What had seemed ridiculous before now only made him more determined to pledge his life to God, and to help his friends in the struggle to come.

The moment the invitation at the end of the service began, Teal'c stood from the pew and made his way to the front of the church. He barely noticed his friends giving each other surprised glances. He saw Simon Dockett standing on the floor in front of the stage to receive and pray with those who wished to receive Christ, and the man smiled when he saw Teal'c coming his way. He didn't notice until he stopped in front of Dockett that O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, and Samantha Carter had followed him from the pew.

More were coming forward, and his friends assured Dockett they could help him, and pulled him aside as more and more people filled the space in-between the pews and the stage. The original SG-1 sequestered itself in a semi-private corner.

"You really want to do this, T?" O'Neill asked.

Teal'c nodded with confidence. "I am certain, O'Neill. If this God can accept one whose lineage is from any planet, and love all the same, and be a truly helpful, honest God, and cause what I have witnessed in recent days…then He must be the true God."

Daniel grinned. "I knew you'd figure it out sometime, Teal'c. You're smart."

"If I understand what I have learned well enough, you should praise God for opening my eyes--not praising me for seeing." Daniel shrugged and nodded in agreement.

Samantha blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Wow…you're not even saved yet, and you've already got that part down. I think you're gonna do just fine."

Teal'c nodded his thanks, then looked at all of them. "I would be gratified if you would assist me in this prayer. I wish to do it correctly."

"Just talk to Him, Teal'c. Tell him you're sorry for sinning, and that you believe, ask Him to take control of your life and save you. That's basically it. Do that, and you can't do it _wrong_," Daniel offered.

O'Neill's hand clapped onto his shoulder. "We'll be right here for you, buddy."

Teal'c nodded, and almost involuntarily SG-1 formed a circle, arms around each other in friendship and support of him. He bowed his head with the rest of them and closed his eyes.

"God, I do know now that you are, in fact, real…and I am sorry that I spent so much of my life serving false gods, and then not believing that you existed. I am not certain how, exactly, to pray, but I ask your forgiveness for my sinfulness. I believe that you sent your son to die for me, and I accept your gift of salvation, Jesus. I ask that you would come to live within me, and help me to be as my friends who follow you. Amen."

He opened his eyes then, slowly, and knew what his friends had meant when they told him of the feeling they had when they had accepted Christ. He now felt it, too, and smiled widely.

O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, and Samantha Carter opened their eyes as well, and all three pulled the circle in closer for a tight group hug. A moment later someone latched onto his back, and Teal'c turned his head enough to see that it was a grinning Cassandra Fraiser and that she and the other three SGC believers as well as Sara O'Neill had joined the group.

They were family now.

Almost twenty minutes later, Simon Dockett brought the meeting to order again, and everyone returned to their seats. Those who had just become Christians were easy to pick out in the crowd. They were smiling the most brilliantly.

Dockett said that they would sing one more song before breaking up for the night. The song was _Amazing Grace._ The song had not made much sense at all to Teal'c on Sunday morning, but now he understood it perfectly, and the feelings behind it's words. With his friends--his family--he sang willingly. He was happier even than the day all jaffa had been freed.

_Amazing grace; how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

_I once was lost, but now am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._


	15. The Treaty

Okidoki, here's chapter 15. The end of this chapter is kind of a pausing point, and there may be a short interlude (no longer than a week) before the next part of the story, just so I can get it all straight in my head, because things are about to get a lot more complicated. You know what I mean if you've read the Left Behind books. I've gotta brush up, and I'm curretly listening to the audio drama series of it as well--which I highly recommend by the way, cause it's awesome, both it 'and' the audio drama of the kids series. But I'm off topic.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what ya think. This chapter offcially ends part one, and part two, _Left Behind: Tribulation Force SG-1_, is coming soon. It will not be posted as a separate story though it'll be here, so you can still look for updates soon. :) I can't wait to start part two! Thank you all so much for your support and to those who have sent encouraging e-mails and messages I love you all. Thanks!

Chapter 15

Daniel woke up early on Thursday morning, and decided to go ahead and get breakfast. When he got to the commissary, it was empty except for a lone figure in the corner eating. Ah…so _that_ was how she'd been avoiding them for so long.

He gathered the food he wanted from what was set out, and made his way to that table. She didn't notice him until he sat down across from her with his tray.

"Hey."

Vala glanced up at him briefly. "Hi. What do you want?"

He shrugged. "Nothing."

"Good because if you start spouting your religious nonsense I'm moving."

Daniel struggled to keep the hurt off of his face and look at her with concern instead. "Fine…I'm not. I just want to sit here and eat breakfast with you. Is that a problem?"

She smiled a bit at that. "No."

"Good. So…what have you been doing?"

Now she shrugged. "Nothing much; well, I actually read some of those books from your office that you suggested might be interesting."

"Oh, so that's where they went," he smirked.

"It wasn't hard to get them, with you being out of your office so often to do whatever it is you do now."

"That would be studying the Bible, and praying."

"Whatever."

Daniel finished chewing what was in his mouth and swallowed it, then waited a moment while she took a bite herself. "Okay….so which ones did you read?"

"Some of the ones about that Ancient Egypt place, since it had the most to do with things I already knew about the Goa'uld. Thought if I had to do 'something' to keep me occupied I might as well read up on the civilization that prompted the current Goa'uld way of life--though it turns out that Egyptian civilization was a whole lot better than the way those snakes do things, or did things, whatever."

"Yeah, yeah it was…still trying to picture you reading a book though."

Vala rolled her eyes. "Come on, Daniel, I'm not stupid."

"I don't think you are; it's called a joke."

"I know…" She trailed off and stared at the table again. "But what else was I supposed to do? You abandoned me for _book_."

"I didn't abandon anything or any_one_, Vala. I tried to tell you about it too, but you wouldn't listen. I didn't want you to run away."

"But it's all bull. I stayed away hoping it'd blow over and you'd be yourself again."

Daniel sighed and looked at her gently, but she still wasn't looking at him. "I'm still me. I just know the truth now."

She stood as if to leave. "There you go again--"

"Vala, please." He stood too, and caught one of her hands to hold her back. She turned abruptly to look at him, lips pressed together in a thin line. Daniel swallowed, fighting back his feelings and not entirely succeeding. "Please…don't just walk away. I will never stop believing what I believe now, and I care about what happens to you and will always be trying to help you see the truth too, but I don't want to push you away either."

She glanced down at the hand that was wrapped perhaps a little too tightly around hers, and he apologized quietly and let go. Vala looked back up at him. "Then don't preach at me. I don't want to hear it."

"But you can't just reject it all after only hearing a little--"

"I said I don't want to hear it. Cameron is _gone_, and you want to brush it off as an act of some god and forget about it and move on. I _can't do that_."

"But wouldn't you rather believe that he--and everyone else--are fine, that they're in Heaven, instead of not knowing what happened to them?"

Her eyes narrowed. "That's the problem. It's just a way to make everyone feel better. I won't fall for it. I won't believe that there's some real god out there who's in control of everything, who supposedly cares about everyone. Not after the life I've lived, and not after everything that has happened to me. I can't believe it."

Daniel lowered his voice. "Vala, I've been through some pretty horrible things in my life, too, and I still understand it. I still believe."

"Have you ever been held prisoner in your own body for years on end while some parasite uses it to torture and kill innocent people?" she snapped.

He had to admit, he hadn't quite been prepared for that quip, but the answer came easily--if painfully. "No, but I had to watch while the same thing happened to my wife." His voice quivered ever so slightly, but he ignored it. "I understand, Vala. I know you've been hurt. I have been too. But that doesn't mean God doesn't love you just as much as anyone else. He wants to help you."

Vala shook her head and took a step farther away from him. "No…not now."

Daniel looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "All right…as long as you know that you can always come to me if you want to know anything.

"Fine," she shrugged. "Thanks. Can I go now?

He crossed his arms. "Well, actually I was hoping that you'd come with the rest of us over to Sara's house. We're going to watch the peace treaty signing together."

She eyed him. "That's all you're going there for?"

"Yeah…"

"No preaching?"

"No…not intentionally. But if we decide to have a short Bible study after or something, you don't have to sit through it. I'm not going to force you into any of it."

Vala looked at him for another long moment, then sighed. "Fine. I'll come."

* * *

Later that morning, Jack waited outside by the vehicles with Carter, Teal'c, Cassie, Lam, Siler, and Reynolds. Daniel was late. They were supposed to be going. Finally, the front entrance opened again, but instead of one, two people came out—the other was Vala. That was a surprise. 

"She's coming?" Jack questioned once they'd joined the group.

"Just to watch the broadcast," Vala answered pointedly for herself.

Daniel shrugged. "Yeah…" he was attempting nonchalance, but Jack saw the disappointment underneath and clapped him on the shoulder comfortingly. The younger man gave him a small smile, and then he turned back to the group as a whole. "Okay, people—don't want to clutter Sara's street with cars, so we're going in two vehicles. SG-1 people, you're with me, and that's all the room I have in my truck, so Cassie, you're driving the newbies."

Cassie smirked and gave him a mock salute. "Yes sir."

Carolyn Lam crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Newbies? Why do 'we' get labeled that when nobody here has been a Christian for more than two weeks?"

"She has a point, sir," Reynolds agreed, smothering an amused smile. Siler didn't seem to mind one way or another; he just stood where he was.

Jack rolled his eyes. "This isn't an argument, Reynolds—it's not even a discussion. It was comment. You guys took longer to figure it out, so at the moment, you're the newbies. When more join up, _they'll_ be the newbies, and _you'll_ be able to call _them_ that. Now everybody get in the vehicles."

There were chuckles all around, and everyone climbed into their respective rides. When they arrived, Jack went to the door first and knocked. The others were still getting out behind him. The door opened a moment later, to reveal Sara's elderly father—Jack ex father-in-law--on the other side. He was a lot older than the last time Jack had seen him, and was clutching a walking stick in the other hand had hadn't opened the door. Apparently he still lived here too; he had moved in after Jack had moved out. Okay…

"Uh, hi," Jack said clumsily.

The other man pulled the door open farther. He didn't exactly smile or anything, but then again he didn't seem surprised to see him or angry either.

"Hi, Jack. Don't worry, Sara told me you and your friends were coming."

Jack nodded. "Great. Good. I mean, wouldn't wanna just barge in unannounced or anything…"

Now Sara's father smiled slightly. "It's all right, Jack. I can't exactly me angry at you anymore, now can I? That wouldn't be the Christian thing to do."

"Oh." Jack's eyebrows went up. He was a Christian too; that simplified things somewhat. Thank goodness. "Right. So…where's Sara?"

The elderly man glanced toward the stairs. "She's still upstairs; you're a little early. Tell your friends to come on in and make themselves at home, and I'll tell her you're here, or…"

"I'll get her," Jack finished, waving everyone else to the door. They came, introduced them all the Sara's father, who then ushered them inside, leaving O'Neill to find Sara.

Jack couldn't help looking around as he went slowly up the stairs. He hadn't been in this house since just after the original Abydos mission. That had only been to get his things out. Sara hadn't been there that day. It hadn't changed a whole lot, surprisingly, though it no longer looked like a house where a happy family of three lived. Swallowing back emotion produced by memories, he pushed on to the top of the stairs.

"Sara? We're here…"

"In here, Jack."

Her voice had come from his right, and he turned, and be faced with a partially opened door that he hadn't faced in years.

"Come on in; it's all right," Sara continued gently; she'd probably seen his hesitating shadow in the crack of the door.

Jack stood there for another moment, not quite sure he could take what he knew was on the other side. After so long, the room probably wasn't the same, but still…Finally, he sighed, and stepped forward, pushing open the door as he went.

He hadn't quite expected what he saw.

It was still exactly the same—the toys, the pictures, the small bed with its bright-colored sheets and bedspread…Charlie's room. Sara was sitting on the edge of the bed, but stood and took a few steps toward him as he stepped inside himself, leaving the door open. But he couldn't focus on her.

"Wow, I…didn't know you'd…uh…"

"Kept it the same? Yeah…I just couldn't touch it. And then after that--should I say 'encounter'?--nine years ago, I locked it, too. I hadn't opened this room until a couple of weeks ago, when I realized that…well, that I'd see him again. It didn't hurt as much then. I still miss him horribly, but now I know it won't be forever--only seven more years."

Jack swallowed. "Kind of seems like forever, though…"

She moved closer, standing at an angle to him but her shoulder touching his. "But we will, both of us," she smiled. Jack looked at her for a moment, then hugged her. Sara held on tightly in return, and they just stood that way for a moment.

"I'm sorry I left," she said quietly.

"It's not your fault…I was acting like crap before I…ran off for a while." That would have been Abydos, but she couldn't know that now.

"But I should have waited; we could have worked things out…"

Jack sighed. "Maybe…but that's in the past. We were stupid then, I guess. We didn't know the truth and it screwed up our outlook on life and all."

Sara nodded as she pulled her head away from his shoulder to look at him. "But we know the truth now, don't we?"

He gazed back at her. "Yeah…" Before he knew quite what was happening, he was kissing her, and she was responding.

What was happening now? Could he really be falling again? After all this time? But after a moment, he realized that loving wasn't something one just stopped doing. He'd never gotten up off the ground.

* * *

Daniel glanced down at his watch. The broadcast was about to start, and they were still upstairs. Granted, whatever was going on might not be any of his business, but he had to tell them it was time. They didn't want to miss this. After all, how often could one say they watched on TV the signing of the treaty that started the end of the world? 

Jumping up, he shot up the stairs and through the first door at the top he saw open. "Jack, Sara, this thing is about to st--oh. Whoops…" He stopped and started to back out immediately. Jack and Sara broke away from each other in surprise. Had they been…? Nevermind. Definitely none of his business.

Jack's eyes got back to normal size though, he didn't seem too embarrassed about it--whatever it was. "Uh, no, Daniel, it's okay. Come here for a minute."

Daniel inched back into the room and glanced around, now noticing what it looked like. Oh. "Oh…so this was…"

"Charlie's room; yeah," Jack nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Not quite sure what to say to that, Daniel glanced pointedly around the room, then back to the deceased boy's parents. "Well, hey; he can have all his stuff back when he gets back to earth during the Millennial Kingdom, huh?"

Sara laughed. "I guess so--well, if this house is still here."

Jack rocked back on his heels. "Right…all the plagues. Earthquakes, etcetera , etcetera…"

Daniel shrugged. "Yeah…" he was interrupted by Sam calling from the bottom of the stairs.

"Is the second floor swallowing people? Come on, Daniel, get them down here!"

"That would be our cue to go back down," Jack prompted, starting for the door. Daniel let him and Sara pass him, then followed them down the stairs and into the living room. On the television screen, Nicolae Carpathia was just standing to make his speech before the singing of the treaty.

As everyone stood or sat around the TV, Vala sidled up behind him where he stood leaning against the frame of the living room door. "So, what exactly is going on again? How exactly does this work?"

"Uhm…" Daniel straightened a bit. "Well, it started when Dr. Chaim Rosenzweig from Israel created a formula that helped crops grow well in the desert, which is what most of that part of the world is, so there's a food shortage. Until now, that formula has only been used by him in Israel, but now he's agreeing to give it to the countries around Israel that on a good day would rather tear that country to shreds, in exchange for peace."

"Oh….well, that makes sense I guess…"

Jack snorted. "And that's just the beginning; soon Carpathia'll have the entire world disarming. Already the countries signing that treaty are agreeing to destroy 90 of their weapons and donate the other 10 to the U.N. for peacekeeping purposes. The rest of the world will be doing it, too."

Vala blinked. "But…if the only people on your planet who have big weapons are these U.N. people…wouldn't that be bad?"

"Heck yeah."

Daniel didn't bother to shush either of them. The only person speaking was Carpathia, and it was just his usual pile of junk--the pompus, insightful, seeming caring and compassionate speech about world peace, and that this treaty was only the first step in a great journey…Well, he had _that_ part right, but the journey wasn't toward a perfect , completely peaceful and cooperative 'global village'. It was toward the Day of Lord.

* * *

The treaty was signed, and that very moment at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, the two Witnesses of God, Eli and Moishe, gave a mighty cry.

"Thus begins the last terrible week of the Lord!"

The seven-year final 'week' of the world.

The Tribulation had begun.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The last short scene is taken more-or-less directly frrom the book "Tribulation Force", the second in the Left Behind series. I changed the wording up and all, but it's the same thing...no copyright infringemeant intended and etcetera, lol. I just didn't think there was any better way to end this chapter.

Okay, about the Jack & Sara thing, well...I didn't originally plan that. This 'was' going to be strictly gen, and about God and what happens more than just them, but that changed when I realized that wasn't realistic. There will be Christian falling in love and yadda yadda then too, so this won't be the only shippyness going on, but I promise I won't really go to heavy on the ship or anything. It'll be there for a touch of reality and for those who like it, but light enough hopefully that those who don't particularyly care for it won't be run off. I don't wanna do that, just present a well-rounded story. Some of everything, and all. I'll spread it out and such.

As for jack &sara specifically, well, that just made sense to me when I thought about it for two seconds. The things keeping them apart before were worsdly concerns and feelings, and now that they're Christians and they understand what's going on--not to mention that they've had a lot of time to get over any grudges--that other stuff shouldn't matter so much anymore. I still don't exactly have a plan for them though. We'll see what happens with them and any others that come up. Just please don't shoot me. hides


	16. Decisions

Yikes! really sorry this took so long. There was a lot to work out with exactly what I was going to do. The first portion was the easy part. I've also been working on a music video with stargate clips, sound bytes, and such, to illustrate the story. If that sounds like something ya'll would want to see, let me know and I'll upload it to youtube or something and post the link here when I'm done with it. :)

But anyway, I hope you're still with me, and please let me know if you are and what you think. I really love this chapter (you'll see why at the end ;) ) so I'd love to know your thoughts. Thanks so much to all of you great reviewers! Please keep it up you help so much. :) And especially thanks to those of you that have said you're praying for me. I appreciate it sooo much! hugs Now Enjoy!

Part 2--_Left Behind: Tribulation Force SG-1_

Chapter 16

"Finally going back home, huh?"

Sam nodded and shrugged, pulling her purse back up on her shoulder. "Yeah, might as well. Things are going back to normal now, besides the fact that we're in the Tribulation."

"Good point," Carolyn agreed. She caught a glimpse of Cassandra Fraiser waiting by the elevator for Sam. "I won't keep you though."

"Okay, I'll see you later." Sam smiled and waved, then walked off toward the elevator. Cassie waved toward Carolyn, and both of them stepped inside.

Carolyn waved back as she continued toward the destination she'd been on her way for when she'd spotted the other two women carrying their coats. A moment later she at the door to General Landry's office. She had been meaning to speak with him for a few days, since she had seen the truth. It wasn't that she thought he didn't know anything about Jesus--on the contrary, she vaguely remembered her great-grandmother being a devout Christian--but she knew he didn't really accept any of it. That was why he was still here.

The door was closed, but when she knocked no-one answered. Frowning, she pushed open the door. The general was there, sitting behind his desk, but the look on his face was haunting. Carolyn stepped forward and shut the office door behind her.

"Dad?" she asked worriedly.

It took a moment, but he looked up at her. "Oh. Carolyn."

"Yeah…what's wrong?"

He looked down at the desk again. "You might want to sit down, Carolyn."

She did so slowly, but apprehensively. "Why?" He swallowed hard, and suddenly fear gripped her chest. They'd been trying to get through to her mother since the rapture about three weeks ago, but the phone lines in her area had taken a lot longer than most to get back up for some reason. What if this was about her?

"I…got through to your mother's home phone, but her neighbor picked up," he began slowly.

A thousand horrible scenarios were already spreading through his mind, but the end result was always the same--something horrible had happened. Her mother had been left behind just like the rest of them, but there had been some accident and she had been one of the thousands killed in accidents caused the sudden disappearance of millions of people. And if something like that had happened, there was no hope for her soul.

"What?" she asked tightly.

Landry looked at her again now, and she could see tears gathering his eyes. _Oh dear God, please no._ Her breath caught.

"According to Mrs. Anderson, I'm afraid your mother was…was one of those that vanished."

All the air went out of Carolyn's lungs. "What?" She couldn't believe his ears. If that was true, it had to have been a recent thing. She hadn't known her mother to be a Christian.

Hank nodded, and when he spoke again his voice was uneven. "Apparently she and your mother were close friends, and she had asked Mrs. Anderson years ago to have her phone and mail forwarded to herself if anything happened to her--" He broke off there, cleared his throat and tried again. "So…whoever tried to contact her would know….so…that's why it was her that answered the call. She ah…she found the--the evidence, in your mother's house, after it happened…"

Her clothes, he meant. Mom had disappeared. She had been a Christian. She was in Heaven. The spiritual part of her leaped for joy to know her mother was safe, but the rest of her wilted to know she was gone. And also, what would this do to her chances of her father believing the truth?

She had to make herself not worry about that part. It would happen in God's timing, if it was his will for Hank Landry to believe…Carolyn just hoped that he did before it was too late.

* * *

Jack drummed his fingers on the desktop in front of him, his chin in his other hand. "You know, Daniel, I've been thinking about retiring." 

Daniel turned to him, away from the computer he was working on on the other side of the table. "Again?"

"Yes, _again_," he answered, giving him a look. "I mean, really: We've only got seven years left, so why would I want to spend some of them working for the devil himself? Carpathia weirds me out enough without having to work for him, and if things go like they're supposed to I'll end up doing just that pretty soon. He's gonna control everything, right?"

"Well, yeah, basically," Daniel nodded. "Though Carpathia's not literally the devil."

"I thought the Bible said he was."

"It does, but I've been reading more and more commentaries on Revelation besides just the book itself, and from what they've gathered from the scriptures, the Antichrist won't be indwelt by Satan until the middle of the Tribulation, about three and a half years from now."

"Oh," Jack blinked. "Whatever. I still don't wanna work for the guy." He'd talked to Rayford more on the flight back, and discovered that the reason he was doing it was to gather information for the Christians, to be ahead in knowing what was going on…Jack had been in black ops for a good portion of his life, and understood why the pilot was doing it. Besides being potentially extremely dangerous in the future, the plan was good.

"But what about the information you could get by staying in your position?" Daniel asked, almost reading his thoughts.

So Jack reiterated them. "Look, that pilot guy I met is already inside--a lot farther inside Carpathia's inner circle than I could ever get in my position even if he _does _like me. And I've got contact information for Steele. So why would I need to stay?"

"Because you're in an entirely different place, Jack. You would know things first that he would never even be allowed to know in the first place. We need you where you are at the top of the stargate food chain. Once the president lifts the energy restrictions on the stargate, you have the power to decide a lot of things at the head of Homeworld Security. That could be valuable in the coming years."

"Yeah, just up until Carpathia institutes that mark thing and we all have to go into hiding or something somehow. Come on, what would be the point?"

Daniel sighed. "Jack, we have to do what we can before then. There will be a lot of new Christians spreading the word here on earth, but there are who-knows-how-many other planets out there that need to hear the truth too."

"How can I help with that?"

"You can make sure General Landry gives us enough time on missions that we can…do things besides the mission objectives," Daniel replied with a little smile.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You don't need my help with that. And what about Hank? He needs to know, too."

"I know," Daniel agreed. "And Doctor Lam has been talking to him about it some."

"Right, 'cause she's his daughter and all…do you know anymore about how that's going than do, by the way?"

Carolyn had mentioned at Bible study group a day or so ago that she had begun to broach the subject with her father. It was Monday now, and Jack was supposed to be back in Washington Friday--if he didn't retire, anyway. But if Lam had given an update on how it was going with Hank last night, he hadn't heard it. Their group met in the SGC, so of course Sara couldn't come. After church, instead of heading back to the mountain for their small group study time, he'd gone over to Sara's for a while.

Daniel winced. "Last time I talked to her, she said he wasn't being very receptive. He's just…angry, I think."

Jack sighed. "Right…and what about the doc? Do you know how she's doing? I know she acts like she's fine around everybody else, and all, but…"

"You'd have to ask Sam about that one," Daniel shook his head. "She knows her better than I do."

"Yeah…." He trailed off, then noticed Daniel was still staring at him. "What?"

"Nothing." The younger man shook his head and turned back to his computer.

"What, Daniel?"

Daniel smirked and glanced at him again. "Not wanting to be around Carpathia isn't the only reason you were thinking about retiring, was it?"

"Hey, I haven't said I'm not going to yet--and what do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

Jack felt himself turning a bit red. "Yeah. Maybe I do. So?"

"It could still work even if you didn't retire. And personally, I'm all for it."

"What?" Jack stared at him. "Are you sure we're thinking about the same thing?"

"Oh, I know we are," Daniel nodded enthusiastically.

He thought about that for a moment, trying to get his mind around it. "Are you really sure it would, though? It's kind of a big thing…"

Daniel smiled softly. "I know, Jack. But yes, I really do thing it would work out. I know you, and I know how you've changed in the last ten years--especially in the last week or two. I say go for it."

Jack sighed. "I hope you're right. Still…think I'm gonna pray about it some more first."

"Good boy," Daniel grinned. Jack snorted in amusement, stood, and ruffled his hair on his way out, smiling to himself in satisfaction at the yelp of protest that resulted.

* * *

Carolyn knocked on Landry's office door. He called for her to come in, so she slipped inside and shut the door again. 

"Carolyn."

"Hey," she nodded, coming closer to the desk. "How are you doing?"

He shrugged and closed the open folder. "There's not much to do around here without the stargate active."

"That's not what I mean."

He sighed. "Well what else do you want me to say? It's been two days since I found out your mother is _gone_, just when we were starting to get along again, and you ask how I am?"

"Yes."

Landry shook his head. "I don't know what else to tell you."

Carolyn sat down in one of the chairs opposite the desk. "Dad…she's not just gone. I know where she is."

"I know you think you do," he snapped back, eyes flashing.

"You don't have to angry at me about it," she answered, insulted.

His face softened. "I'm not angry at you, Carolyn. I'm not angry at anyone--just at what's happening. If it helps you and you want to believe that stuff, fine. It worked for your great-grandmother, and I loved my grandma, so I don't mind if it works for you too. But it's not for me."

"It's not about whether it 'works' for you or not, dad. It's the truth."

"There's no way to know anything for sure, Carolyn--not about something on this scale, if it wasn't aliens or some identifiable phenomenon."

"Exactly. What else makes sense? That's why I believe it. I didn't know about mom when I accepted it, but I'd lost friends. I was afraid, all right? I usually don't admit to that, but I was afraid, and I admitted it to myself. Then I heard it, and it was the only thing that made sense. How else could it have happened?"

"Officially it's nuclear radiation," he said, deadpan.

"We know that can't be it, and you know it, too."

Landry just shook his head. "Carolyn, if you're going to insist on talking about this, I think you should just go for now."

She stood. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm not going to just give up, and you know that, too."

* * *

Jack paced nervously. Now it was Wednesday, and he'd spent the last two days in almost constant, nervous prayer. By now he was sure he was doing the right thing, but that didn't make it much less nerve wracking. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Sara's car pulled into the church parking lot. He'd asked her to meet him here a couple of hours before church. She was smiling, but looked confused as she got out of her vehicle.

"Hi, Jack…what's going on?"

He went to her side and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek in greeting. "Nothing much, Sara, I just…thought we'd take a walk. There's a little park just down the road, isn't there?"

She nodded. "Yes, but since when have you been the type to do something as calm as take a walk?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jack grinned nervously. "Can't a guy change?"

Sara smiled and crooked her elbow around his arm. "I'd love to take a walk with you."

* * *

Daniel looked up from the folder in his hands just in time to keep from colliding with Cassie in the corridor. 

"Whoa, hey Cassie."

"Hey. I was just on my way back to Sam's lab. Wanna come?"

He shook his head. "No thanks; I've still got translations to finish. With all this downtime I've been able to get a lot of things done I usually can't--you know, stuff I don't have time to go into more depth on because I'm on a field team, so…"

"Yeah, I understand," she nodded.

"Right. So…what are you doing in here anyway? You and Sam are staying at her house now; you could have stayed there. You don't have to be here," he observed with an ironic smile.

She shrugged. "What else am I going to do?"

"True."

"Have you seen Jack?" Cassie asked next. "I haven't seen him around this afternoon."

"Yeah, he left early, sorry," Daniel supplied.

"Where would he have to go?"

"Personal business," he smiled. "And if you think about it, you might want to pray he doesn't lose his nerve."

Cassie looked confused for a moment, but when he just looked at her, eyebrows raised, realization suddenly dawned on her face. "Oh. _Oh_. Right. I will. Thanks."

"No problem." Daniel nodded. Then Cassie went her own way, and Daniel went on to his office, taking his own advice at the same time and sending up a prayer.

* * *

"I wish you didn't have to leave so soon," Sara sighed, arm still hooked with Jack's as they strolled down the concrete park path. 

"Soon? I'll have been here more than two weeks when I leave."

She smirked. "It's still not enough; we haven't been around each other much for years, silly."

"Okay, not arguing there," Jack shrugged. There was a moment of comfortable silence before Jack spoke up again. "Does your dad still drive?"

"What? Well, yes, but what would make you ask that?" she asked, a bit startled.

"Uhm…just curious as to how he's doing. He was my father-in-law once, ya know," he answered evasively.

Sara looked a bit suspicious, but she continued. "He's fine. A little wobbly on his feet sometimes, but other than that he's as healthy as horse."

"Good; had to make sure he'd be okay in that big house by himself."

Now she stopped and stared at him. "What? Jack, what are you talking about?"

He stopped too, and turned to face her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Sara…" He took a deep breath. "I want you to come to Washington with me." After thinking and praying long and hard, he felt the lord didn't want him to retire just yet. Maybe his position would be useful. But he didn't want to just leave Sara, either.

She kept looking at him for a moment, then let out a breath. "Jack, I--"

"Please?" he said, getting closer to her.

Sara sighed, and brought up one hand to put on his arm too. "Jack…that's very sweet of you, but I can't do that. I can't live with you; we're not married anymore."

Of course he'd expected that. He knew the things that Christians thought were right and wrong, and now that he was one he was seeing that they were right. So he'd come prepared. Jack reached into the pocket of his jacket, and brought out something that he held up by his thumb and forefinger in-between them.

"It doesn't have to stay they way," he said quietly.

Sara stared again, mouth dropping open partly and eyes widening. Jack couldn't help but think how cute she looked that way.

He was holding the engagement ring he'd given her the first time he'd proposed.

"W-what…? Jack, you…you kept that?" she stammered.

"Of course I did. You left your rings with the rest of my stuff for me to pick up from the house; you didn't think that if I actually took them I was just going to get rid of them, did you?"

"You have the bands too?" she asked, voice tight with emotion.

"Mine and yours--they're back in my room on the base I'm staying at."

She looked a little faint by now. "I-I don't know what to say…"

Jack wrapped his other arm around her waist, just in case. "Please say yes?" he asked hopefully. "I love you, Sara…I always have. I know we can make it work this time. We're both different now, and we have the most important thing in common, don't we?"

Sara nodded wordlessly and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jack put both arms around her now, and both squeezed. "I love you, too," she said in his ear.

"Is that a yes?"

"What else could I say?"


	17. Tribulation Force SG1

NOTE: I have finished the video for the story and it is posted on LiveVideo. I hope you'll all take a look and leave a comment; I'd like to know what you all think. :) I tried several times and couldn't get the address to copy here in any form for some reason, but the site itself is easy enough to find if you don't know it, then simply searching for "Left Behind: Stargate SG-1" That's the titel of the video. Sorry I couldn't make it more convenient for you to get to.

Another note, there is also a "Stargate: Atlantis" counterpart to this story for several weeks now, written by dragonlots, but I notice that she's not getting a lot of reviews, so in case you all didn't know about that story before, it's there. It's really good and I encourage you all to read it as well. We're kinda collaborating our efforts on these stories and so there will be parallel scenes in a couple places, but other than that it's her totally original Atlantis version of Left behind and it's great. I'm sorry I haven't rmembered to mention it before; with exams and thinking this story out and everything my brain short-circuts but oh well. :P _Now_ you have no excuse not to check it out, hehe.

Okay, evil STF going away now, lol. Here's chapter seventeen. I hope you all enjoy it and I can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks:)

Chapter 17

The first thing Daniel noticed about Jack and Sara was that both were grinning a lot more than he was pretty sure he'd ever seen either of them grin. And that was saying something. The two were strolling across the parking lot toward the two vehicles they had all come in. he raised a hand and waved, and they waved back. The group started toward the church building, and met the couple halfway there.

"What's going on here?" Carolyn asked almost immediately, smiling.

Daniel crossed his arms and smirked good-naturedly. "Yeah, Jack, what's going on?"

He shrugged and grinned back. "Oh, nothing much, just wedding plans. You?"

This time last month, that would have caught him completely off guard. Now though, it seemed almost expected. It was still good news to hear though.

"Really?" he said, just to be sure.

Sara nodded and held up her left hand. "You'd better believe it."

"That's great."

He and the others crowded around Jack and Sara as they continued toward the church, all offering congratulations well wishes. Sam did, too, but Daniel couldn't help but notice that she seemed a little shaken. She did smile, did look genuinely happy for them--but as they reached the front doors and the knot around Jack and Sara loosened so everyone could go in, the smile scaled down a good bit in size and her expression became uncertain. He sidled up beside her and let one of his hands rest gently on her arm, almost nonchalantly. She glanced at him and gave a quick smile.

Simon, at the door, noticed the group's energy and raised an eyebrow. "Now what?" he asked curiously.

Jack still had an arm around Sara. "We're getting re-married," he announced.

The deacon-turned-pastor lit up. "That's wonderful. I wish I could perform the ceremony, but I don't have my certification yet. Since it seems I've become the pastor here by default, I've been working on getting that done though. Perhaps I could convince you to wait a couple of months…?"

Sara shook her head. "Sorry, Simon, but we've got to get it done before Friday; I'm going back to Washington with him."

Now both of Dockett's eyebrows went up. "You're taking her away from us?" he asked of Jack, feigning shock.

"We'll be around enough," Jack assured him. "Especially now, with everything going on…well, you know."

Simon nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry; I am happy for both of you, and do hope you'll visit often."

"Don't worry about that, Simon," Sara chuckled.

* * *

In her lab the next afternoon, Sam couldn't keep her thoughts from spiraling off in completely other directions than the work she was trying to get done. It just wasn't possible. 

She was happy for Jack and Sara--she really was--but she couldn't help being a little bit confused. She understood that Sara had been his wife, and now that they were both Christians…well, she hoped it would work out for them, but that didn't mean her own feelings were just going to disappear.

Sam miscalculated a measurement again and pushed her instruments aside, sighing in frustration. The whole matter of her and Jack's feelings for each other had needed closure from day one, and now that he was re-marrying his ex-wife that should have served to do it. But it didn't.

Quietly she sighed, and closed her eyes and breathed a prayer for peace.

The second she opened her eyes Jack O'Neill was standing in her lab doorway.

"Sir," she said automatically, popping upright again.

"Chill out, Carter….Sam. And for the last time it's Jack when we're off duty for cryin out loud," he scolded lightly, meandering into the office and sitting on a stool opposite her. He spun once or twice, then stopped to look at her.

"B-but sir--"

"Ah ah. No buts," he countered, raising a finger.

She blew out a spout of air. "Yes sir…" he raised an eyebrow. "Jack."

"Good girl. So how are you doing?"

"Doing?" she echoed.

He shrugged. "You know--the whole beginning of the end of the world things…other stuff."

It wasn't hard to figure out what 'other stuff' meant. Sam shrugged in return. "I'm fine. Why?"

Jack glanced at her, then sighed. "Well…this is gonna seem really out of character for me--cause it is--but I guess we're all kind of pretty different some ways now, aren't we?" she nodded slowly, and he continued. "So…I figured I'd better be honest for once. If there's any time to do it, it's now."

Sam swallowed and just looked at him. He saw she wasn't going to say anything in return at the moment and went on.

"So…look, Sam, it wasn't a lie--how I've acted in the past, how I've sort of said I've felt once or twice…I meant it. Then. And I'm not saying none of it's true now, either. I do care about you. A lot. I always will. I care about Daniel, and Teal'c, and Cassie a lot too. All of you; you're like my family. And yeah, there was more there when it came to you. I'm not gonna lie to you now, either…though I'm telling a lot more than I usually would. It's the whole Christian thing, I guess. Having God and all makes me okay with telling the truth the way it is…working stuff out. You know?"

She nodded in response, swallowing.

Jack sighed again. "I just thought you should know. I prayed before I ever did any of this, and I know I'm doing the right thing re-marrying Sara. I just don't want there to be any confusion or hard feelings or anything. Follow me?"

Sam nodded again, and this time found her voice. "I follow you," she agreed. It made sense, and somehow hearing it calmed her. "I understand." And she did. She would always care about him, too, but he and Sara belonged together. They had already been married once before, after all.

"Good," Jack smiled. "Wouldn't want to ruin anything. You're still one of the best friends I've ever had, ya know."

Now she smiled. "Likewise."

He stood and came closer to her stood, arms wide and questioning. "So we're good?"

Sam chuckled, suddenly as ease and amused. _Thank you, Lord._ "Yeah, we're good." Jack grinned and hugged her gently, she hugged back, then he went back to sit on his own stool and they spent the next half-hour chatting. After all, he'd been in Washington for a while and there was a lot to catch up on.

* * *

Later that evening, Jack tracked down the piece of paper he'd gotten from Rayford Steele and sat down on the edge of the bed in his room at the SGC. He picked up the phone; it was about time he called the guy. 

He dialed the number, and there was an answer, but the voice that answered was female and unfamiliar.

"_New Hope Village Church, this Loretta; how may I help you?_"

"Ah…yeah…I'm Jack O'Neill. Is there a Rayford Steele around?"

"_He's not here at the moment, but you could talk to Pastor Barnes. I'm sure he could tell you how to get in touch with Mr. Steele._"

"Bruce Barnes?"

"_Yes, that's right. Would you like to speak with him?_"

Jack shrugged at thin air. "Yes ma'am, thank you."

"_All right; just a moment._"

A few moments later, another new voice, this time male, came on the like. "_This is Bruce Barnes. To whom am I speaking, again?_"

"Hi, uh, my name is Jack O'Neill. I met your friend Rayford Steele recently and he gave me this number…"

"_Oh, 'General' Jack O'Neill?_"

"Right, that would be me."

"_Oh good, good, Rayford did mention you,_" the friendly-sounding pastor continued. "_Do you have any more questions, or…?_"

"No, no more questions at the moment, Mr.Barnes. I've got all that straightened out already, if you know what I mean, thanks."

"_Great! I'm glad to hear that. And please, call me Bruce. Any friend of Ray's is a friend of mine, brother._"

"Well, I don't really know him that well yet either, but okay. Call me Jack then. We're all in the same club after all."

Bruce chuckled. "_Yes, I guess you could put it that way._ _And I'm sorry; may I ask why you called?_"

"I was just looking to get in touch with Rayford, that's all; if you could accommodate me."

"_Of course. I can give you his phone number. He should be home right now. He's not on a flight at the moment._"

"Great, thanks."

Jack chatted with the pastor for a few more minutes, then jotted down Rayford's number, hung up, and dialed it. The phone was picked up after the second ring, but it was yet another unfamiliar voice.

"_Steele residence. This is Chloe_."

"This is Jack O'Neill. Is your dad at home?"

"_Yeah, he's here. I'll get him_."

"Thank you."

There was a soft 'thump' as the phone was set down, then the sound of footsteps and the young woman's voice calling. A moment later a heavier set of footsteps came back toward the phone and it was picked up again.

"_This is Ray._"

"Hey, it's Jack."

"_Hey, Jack, how's it going?_" the pilot said warmly.

Jack smiled to himself. "It's going great, brother; how are things in Illinois?"

There was a pause, and then a delighted chuckle. "_Brother? I take it that means you're one of us now, eh_?"

"You bet," Jack agreed happily. "Me and a lot of my friends here. A few more of the holdouts are with us now, too."

"_Praise God_," Rayford replied. "_That's good to hear, Jack. Is that the only reason you sound ecstatic, or is there something else_?"

Jack could tell he was only being teased, but of course, in this case, there really was something else. "Oh there's something else, all right: I'm about to re-marry my ex-wife tomorrow before I head back to Washington, and she's coming with me."

This time the silence was a few seconds longer. "_Really_?" Steele asked.

"Yeah. I don't know how to explain it, Ray, but now that we're both Christians, the petty reasons we had for staying apart for so long don't really seem relevant anymore. We love each other. And we have so little time left already; there's no reason to waste any of it," he filled in honestly.

"_Well, you've definitely got that right. There isn't any time to waste. I'm happy for you, Jack. I hope everything works out._"

The two talked for a while, able to get to know one another better now that they had the freedom of being brothers in Christ. That was how Jack found out that Rayford, Bruce, and Chloe knew Cameron Williams of _Global Weekly_, otherwise known as "Buck". Jack and Rayford swapped rapture stories, and Ray explained that he had met the reporter on the plane he was flying that night three weeks ago. Now Ray, Chloe, Buck, and Bruce had formed a core group of believers to fight the Antichrist's regime during the Tribulation and reach as many people as possible with the gospel message of Jesus Christ over the seven years.

They were calling themselves the Tribulation Force.

Jack told Rayford about his own friends, their Bible study group, and the smaller core group that consisted of the original SG-1 and Cassandra. It was five, not four, but it was similar. He also knew that none of them, including him, planned to sit around and let the Antichrist win easily.

"_I guess that would make you five the western branch of the Tribulation Force, then,_" Rayford joked.

"I guess so," Jack grinned.

Steele paused. "_Hey, you know, that's not a bad idea_."

"What's not?"

"_Your group being the western Tribulation Force, since you're in Colorado. I mean, we don't mind of you use the same name. We're all going to be working for the same cause, right_?"

Jack thought about that for a moment. "Yeah. We are. But 'Western Tribulation Force' doesn't have the same kick to it just 'Tribulation Force' does."

Ray laughed. "_Well, like I said, you don't _have _to make the name different._"

"True, but I feel like there should be something a little different about our group's name, if we're going to have one."

"_If you say, so Jack_."

O'Neill grinned to himself. "Don't worry about it, Ray. I've got the perfect thing."

"_What's that_?"

Jack told him, but the pilot seemed confused. "_What do two letters, a dash, and a number have to do with it_?"

"I know it doesn't make much sense to you, but it means a lot to us," he explained simply.

"_Okay, I can live with that,_" Ray said in amusement. "But anyway, it's getting late here, so I should go, but keep in touch."

"You can count on it."

"_And Jack, sometimes before this is all over, ours groups should get together--sometimes when everyone's free on both ends._"

"That could be a while," he answered skeptically. "But I'd love to if we could."

"_Good. I'll hold you to that_."

* * *

Daniel had finally found someone to start the repairs on his house, but it would take another few weeks, so Sam was the only member of SG-1 living off-base at the moment. That was where Sara and the whole SGC group met for Bible study that night. Originally when meeting off-base, it had always been Sara's place, but now they could alternate. Daniel's house would take it's place in the nightly circulation once it was fixed and he'd moved back in. The large group couldn't meet on base anymore, because Sara and her father were a part of it, as well as the spouses of some of the other, newer members, all of which knew nothing about the stargate or Stargate Command. 

That night, after the majority of the daily growing small crowd had left, the core group remained behind for a private meeting Jack had called for. He apparently had some announcement to make.

"So what's the big news?" Cassie asked, plopping back down on the couch.

Jack sat forward in his chair. "I contacted that Christian pilot from Carpathia's plane again; talked to him a while. He had quite a bit of interesting information to tell."

"Like what?" Daniel questioned.

He explained about Rayford Steel and his small band of friends who had formed what they called the Tribulation Force. It sounded like a great idea to Daniel. What could be more rewarding than spreading the truth and doing everything they could to thwart the Antichrist in the process? Of course, no matter what they did the prophecies of the bible would come true. Nicolae Carpathia _would_ rule. But these four weren't going to make it easy for him.

Then Jack got to the part about Rayford asking Jack and the rest of them to be another branch of the Tribulation Force, and Daniel's heart sped up.

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Oh yeah. Sorry if it was assuming, but I told him I knew you guys would be in for it," Jack answered.

"No kidding we're in for it," Daniel agreed passionately. Cassie was nodding vigorously, and Teal'c was smiling that smile of his.

"Indeed."

Now Jack grinned. "I thought so. The only difference is, we get a cool addition to our name."

Daniel was completely oblivious. "We do?"

"Of course, silly." He told them, and then there were grins all around. Of _course_.

All five of them stood instinctively and formed a circle, joining hands. Taking turns, they prayed for God's guidance in this new venture; that they would be able to do all they could for the ultimate cause.

Daniel was smiling to himself the entire time, and he knew the others were too. It was official now. They even had name. And it was quite an attractive one, too.

Tribulation Force SG-1.


	18. Six Months In

Sorry this chap is short and not a lot of action, but it's kind of a transition chapter, and I wanted to get another chapter posted before we left on our trip for the weekend. I won't be able to post anymore until early next week; we'll be gone. Anyway, I know this chapter may seen like a lot of information, but it's important, and I promise I'll get back to the better stuff in the next chapter. : P Just please tell me what ya think of what's going on in this one and such. It helps to know. :) And thanks to all of you who always review you're great! hugs

Chapter 18

Since certified pastors were in short order, Jack and Sara's second wedding took place at the office of the local justice of the peace Friday morning, with only a small group of SG-1, Cassie, Simon, and Sara's father. Then the group went out to eat in lieu of a reception. After that, it was time to bid their goodbyes to the couple, who were due at the airport for a flight to Washington. Sara had reportedly spent a good deal of the day before packing what she could bring on the plane and deciding with her father on what should be shipped to her later, as soon as it could be done. Jack reported that the air force took care of the cost of that, thankfully, when it was done a few weeks later.

Except for the changes Carpathia was making, life on earth returned to normal, and the next six months went rather smoothly. The SGC Bible study group grew to be ten times its small beginning size, and still more were coming to Christ. Daniel couldn't stop marveling at how good God was.

On the other hand, though, Nicolae Carpathia was moving forward with everything the Bible had predicted. Six months into the tribulation, the United Nations had become the Global Community, and it had so much more power than the U.N. had ever had. It was almost sickening. Global disarmament was achieved more quickly than Daniel had thought possible, and several groups of governments elsewhere in the world were consolidated. It was just the beginning of the forming of the world's nation into ten large 'kingdoms', as the Bible had reported.

Carpathia was in the process of having the Global Community capital moved to new Babylon, and huge new city that was quickly being built over the site of the old one. This in itself was enough to make Daniel angry, and the fact that he knew from prophecy that Carpathia would rule as a tyrant from there didn't help any.

The new Global Community Potentate--that was Carpathia's new title, which could pretty much be translated President of the Planet--was also working toward a one world currency, and a one world religion. His ideas were being accepted world-wide, and the people of the planet were working with him to achieve them.

The SGC had been given the green light again to resume normal 'gate activity about three months in, and had been running smoothly as usually ever since. SG-1 and the other teams went on their missions, did their reconnaissance and other objectives, and Daniel could almost pretend at times that he wasn't living in the final years of the world as he knew it. But then again, it would _never _be exactly the same.

Cassie was the only one who hadn't returned to her life relatively the way it had been before the rapture. The next school year had begun as scheduled, but she hadn't returned to college. She hadn't seen any point in it, and they all agreed with her. Instead she continued to stay with Sam, and got a job at the daycare center just down the mountain, where most of the people who worked at the mountain left their kids.

The Tribulation Force SG-1 kept in close contact with the original Tribulation Force, and the groups of five and four, respectively, quickly became good friends even though they could only communicate by internet and phone. There had yet to be a good time for all of them to meet, what with SG-1's mission schedule, Jack's obligations in Washington, Rayford's flight schedule, and Buck's traveling for his magazine. The _Global Weekly_ had become the _Global Community Weekly_, and Buck was in charge.

Both groups prayed for unsaved friends and acquaintances of each other's--for the Tribulation Force, those included Hattie Durham and Buck's former boss Steve Plank, and for the TB SG-1 the main concerns were General Landry and Vala, who continued not believe.

At times, Carolyn appeared just heartbroken over her father's continued refusal and her worry that he would be killed or even survive the entire Tribulation but end up in hell. Daniel knew how she felt at those times. He felt the same way over Vala.

* * *

Sam looked up at the knock on her open lab door and smiled. "Hey, Daniel."

He smiled back and sauntered into the room, dropping into a chair across her work table from her. "Hey. Whatcha workin' on?"

She glanced down at the half-taken-apart mechanism in front of her. "I'm tweaking the Asgard holo-imager. It started malfunctioning, and obviously I have to fix it myself, so… "

Daniel sighed. "Yeah."

"That, and Carpathia wants to borrow it."

His head popped back up, straighter this time. "What?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, I got a call from his office last week. For some reason he's got the idea that Atlantis is going to call in again soon, and he wants to talk to doctor Weir when they do."

"Why would _he_ want to talk to Elizabeth?"

"I have no idea…he probably has some plot up his sleeve. If I had a choice I wouldn't let him have it, but unfortunately he's the _Potentate_ now. If I don't he'll just order me to."

Daniel huffed. "Yeah, and it gets really annoying at times."

"At _times_?" she smirked.

"Okay, all the time."

"You can say that again," she nodded. She turned back to her work, but then sighed and set her screwdriver down again. "I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Daniel raised an eyebrow and smiled a bit. "Which shoe? Last time I read Revelation, I noticed a lot of shoes falling."

Sam rolled her eyes. "The beginning of the rest of the judgments. So far the only one to happen is the first, and that was the first seal judgment, or horseman the Antichrist himself. That was six months again."

Daniel leaned forward over the table. "Well, there are scholars that are pretty sure it won't be until eighteen months into the Tribulation that the rest of them start, that there will be a period of peace for that long before the judegements begin. Then the other six seal judgments and the seven trumpet judgments should all happen before the midpoint three and a half years in…"

"And then the seven bowl judegements, the worst ones, will happen in the second half, yeah, I know. By then we should be off of earth, though."

In the past three months, since SG teams had begun venturing out again, they had discovered a lot more about the state of the rest of their galaxy. It was surprising how many pockets of Christians had already popped up on other planets. And even more surprising was the fact that many of the Tok'ra and the jaffa had the largest groups. Just as they had suspected, the story had been out there, maybe in other forms, but it had been out there, and after several Tok'ra and even a few small pockets of jaffa had vanished in the rapture, more had realizing it as the truth.

Those new groups of Christians had grown even more since SG-1 and other teams made up mostly of Christians from earth had been secretly distributing Bibles to them and helping them learn more about their new faith and spreading it. Teal'c was the main contact between the Earth Christians and the jaffa church, and he was more than happy to do the job. He and his people, after years of serving false gods and getting nothing in return, were now elated to have found the truth of the real God. Granted, the Christian jaffa, though a large group by now, were a minority, but that didn't make them any less fervent for their new cause.

The Tok'ra were a different story. The unbelievers among them were a tiny minority. That had actually been the biggest shock. Maybe it had something to do that they were part of a race were many had chosen to pose as false gods, so they knew the marks of a false god when they saw one--obviously they had realized that the one, true God was not false.

As a result of this, SG-1 and the Tok'ra population--which was still dwindling as it had been for years--had become closer allies than ever before. Between them, the Tok'ra Anise and her host Freya were the primary contact, meeting SG-1 often off-world to keep them informed of the goings-on with the Tok'ra's evangelism efforts and vice-versa. SG-1 usually managed to smuggle a few more Bible to her to bring back to the Tok'ra each time.

Over the course of this correspondence which, of course, was kept secret from The Powers That Be, they had developed a plan. When the Mark of the Beast came into use on Earth, and pressure was too much for them to avoid taking it, the Tok'ra would get as many of the SGC Christians out as they could. They had several cloakable Al'kesh. That meant they would spend the second half of the Tribulation away from home, but it seemed a necessary sacrifice. That way not only would it theoretically be easier to stay alive, but even by then, with the size of the Milky way, there would still be souls they would need to reach. They could do a lot more if they weren't stuck on Earth--or dead.

The real miracle though, was that Vala never gave them away. She knew about most of it, but helped them keep Landry and the other Powers That Be in the dark. She didn't believe what they did, but at least she proved a loyal friend.

Daniel had thought for a moment, probably along these same lines, but now him speaking broke Sam out of her reverie.

"We don't know if the plagues will only happen on Earth, though," he pointed out.

"But the Antichrist is only on Earth."

Daniel winced. "Not for long. Only one or two of the jaffa council are Christians, and Carpathia is making inroads with the rest of them. I think he's up to something. I just know he's going to try to control other planets too."

Sam sighed. "Great, an intergalactic Antichrist is all we need…"

The phone rang. Trailing off, she picked it up. "Carter."

"_Hey, Sam, it's me. Daniel wasn't answering in his office; is he there?_"

"Hey, Jack, yeah, he's here. What is it?"

"_You're not gonna believe this; put me on speaker phone so I can talk to both of you. I've got great news_," O'Neill instructed.

Sam smiled at the sound of his enthusiasm. "Yes sir," she said, pressing the button and setting the handset down.

Jack's voice drifted out of the speakers on the base now. "_You got it_?"

"Got it."

"What's up, Jack?" Daniel asked next.

"_Okay, well, you told me that SG-1 has next week off, right_?"

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"_Great! Rayford has a few days off too, and since Buck and I are pretty much in charge in our respective places of work, we can take off for a little while_."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

"_I'm _saying_ that if you guys want to the five of us can meet up with the Tribulation Force next week_."

"If we _want_ to? Are you kidding? Of course we want to," Daniel grinned.

Jack laughed. "_Oh yeah, and Sara will probably come too. The other guys can't know about all the stargate stuff either, so there's nothing we could say that she wouldn't be able to hear_. _She knows about the Tribulation Force and has talked to them too. She and Chloe really hit it off over the phone a few months back._"

Sam smiled; that was easy to believe. Chloe was a nice girl, really fired up for God even more than the rest of them sometimes. Both she and Daniel nodded, and Sam answered. "Right. That sounds good. We want to see her, anyway. You two have been gone for a while."

Jack sighed. "_Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry we haven't been able to get back to Colorado again yet, but six months later and Washington still isn't settled down yet._"

_That_ was even easier to believe.

"So, how and where are we meeting them?" Daniel asked.

"_Carpathia won't need his plane that week, and that's why Ray's off, so he got permission to use it. I don't know why, but Carpathia really likes him, and all he had to do was say there were some really good friends he really needed to meet up with over in Colorado. That's how the tribulation Force is getting there, and Sara and I will hop a plane over there too. More detail's come later. I'll call you_."

"You know our numbers," Sam shrugged.

"_Yep, but I gotta go. I'm at the office. I just got the call from Ray, so I had to let you know. I should get back to work now though._"

"Okay; we'll tell Teal'c and Cassie. You just keep us posted."

"_Will do_."


	19. Meeting of the Trib Forces

To apologize for the short chapter last time and the wait because of our trip, I wrote a nice long chapter this time. :) I hope you all enjoy it, and please let me know what ya think when you're done. Your reviews help so much you're all great!

IMPORTANT NOTE: The part of the last scene that involves the conversation with Atlantis was derived from a scene in the Stargate Atlantis: Left Behind story, with permission from its author, dragonlots, and much of the dialogue is exact quotes from that scene. Also, if you want to know more about the Asgard and what's going on on Atlantis, and who over there are Christians and who's not, don't forget to check out her story if you haven't yet. :)

Chapter 19

Jack called back two days later with more details, and early Wednesday of the next week the Tribulation Force SG-1 was in the parking lot of Springs Baptist Church waiting for Jack and Sara, and the other Trib Force to arrive. Right on time, Jack and Sara pulled into the lot in a small rental car. They got out quickly, and as they started toward the other four Jack grinned and waved.

"Lucy, I'm home!"

The others converged on them, and Daniel was the first to hug Jack, while Sam and Cassie sandwiched Sara.

"Long time no see," Daniel smiled when the round of hugs and welcomes was finally finished.

"No kidding; I'm glad we get to stay for a couple of days at least," Jack agreed. The general was still grinning widely. Both of them were.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, so are we….but what else is going on?"

"Who says anything else is going on?" Jack questioned innocently.

"Something else is definitely going on," Daniel supported.

"How do _you_ know?"

He rolled his eyes. "I've known you for almost twelve years, Jack."

Sara glanced up at Jack with a look that told Daniel they'd been right; something else was going on.

"Might as well tell them," she suggested.

Jack shrugged. "You can do it."

"No, you've known them longer than I have. You go right ahead."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Are you sure you're sure?"

"Jack!" This had been said not only by Sara, but all of SG-1 as well--though Teal'c had said 'O'Neill'.

The general grinned sheepishly. "Okay, okay, fine, _I'll_ tell them then."

"Tell us what?" Cassie prompted.

Now Jack's smile was back to brilliant, and his arm had snaked around his wife's wait. "Guys, Sara and I are going to be parents again in six months," he announced proudly.

Undoubtedly it didn't get the reaction he'd hoped for; Daniel, Sam, Teal'c, and Cassie just stared at them for a moment. Daniel was the first to recover.

"What?"

"Are you serious?" Sam echoed.

Teal'c eyebrow went up. Cassie was still in stunned silence.

"What?" Jack asked, looking around at them all. "Isn't it great?"

That broke the spell on Cassie, at least, who suddenly squealed and jumped on Sara again. Sam followed suit soon. Daniel exchanged glances with Teal'c before laughing and joining in. He spoke when calm was restored again.

"Wow, Jack, Sara, that's just…that's great. It really is. I'm happy for you. I have to admit to being a little confused, though."

"Yeah, that's awesome, but there _is_ the whole end-of-the-world-is-coming thing," Sam added.

Sara smiled. "Oh, we know that all right. It's not like we planned this, but…it happened, and we're thrilled."

Jack grinned. "I mean come on, in this day and age, if Christian couples are going to be having kids it's gotta be God's will, right?"

Daniel just smiled and shook his head. "Well, we may not know the answer to _that_ one for a while."

Teal'c nodded. "Indeed. There is no point in questioning it now." Then he smiled. "So let us merely be happy for you, O'Neill, which I am as well."

"Thanks, Teal'c, that's the spirit," Jack chuckled.

Cassie was bouncing on her toes and grinning. "This is so cool! I just wish you guys didn't live so far away."

Sara was about to say something to that, when an enthusiastically honking horn interrupted them, and half of them jerked in surprise before all of them turned to see a rental SUV pulling into the lot beside the car Jack and Sara had come in.

"Hey, there they are!" Jack said, waving at them. Daniel saw a dark haired man in the back seat wave back to O'Neill, and figured that must be Rayford Steele. A much younger man was in the driver's seat, and he was immediately recognizable as the famous Cameron "Buck" Williams of _Global Community Weekly_--aka a pivotal member of the tribulation force. A young woman was in the passenger's seat beside him--that would be Rayford's daughter, Chloe Steele--and in the back beside Rayford was another man in between Buck and Rayford's ages, who had to be Bruce Barnes, the pastor of Hew Hope Village Church back where most of the Trib Force lived near Chicago.

Once the vehicle was parked, Buck and Chloe were the first two out, and the young woman swatted his arm when she came around the front of it to him.

"Buck, what were you trying to do; scare the poor people to death?" she scolded good-naturedly.

Rayford was shaking his head as he and Bruce climbed out too. "Why did I let you drive?"

"Sorry," Buck apologized, giving a small, quirky smile that was a mixture of sheepish and cocky. Daniel would have bet money that quality made his charming to the young ladies. Maybe that was one reason why Chloe stuck so close to him as their group started over to the SG-1 group.

"Hey, Jack!" Rayford grinned when they reached them.

"Hey, Ray, good to see you again," Jack answered happily. Then he motioned back toward the rest of them. "Well, this is my crew. I assume that's yours?"

"That's right," Ray chuckled, sweeping his eyes back over Bruce, Buck, and Chloe. "This is the Tribulation Force, and you guys are the Trib Force SG-1. I _still_ don't know what that means."

Jack gave a mischievous smile. "And I still can't tell you. But let's get this party started, shall we?"

Then there was another round of welcomes and hugs, this time along with introductions to make sure everyone knew who everyone else was. Jack and Sara gave their news again, too. All of them were happy for the couple, too, though Bruce was a bit skeptical, and both Buck and Chloe had comments.

"At a time like this?" he questioned, before congratulating them genuinely.

"Not exactly something I think _I_ would do, but it's still great!" Chloe added.

After that all ten of them trekked inside the building to have a cool place to visit for a while before the Tribulation Force had to leave. They had most of the day, but only today. They would go out for a late lunch later, but it was too early now. They sat leisurely around one of the Sunday School rooms near the back, which Simon had been kind enough to leave unlocked for them for the occasion.

The two groups exchanged notes on their efforts, though of course SG-1 had to keep their explanations general. The Trib Force understood the need for secrecy and National Security, and didn't ask questions. That was refreshing, for a change.

Bruce, apparently, had begun traveling all over the globe, preaching and helping to start churches. He was already becoming quite popular. Doubtlessly Carpathia had heard about it too, and didn't like it, but there were no laws preventing it yet. The one-world religion wasn't installed yet, though it was being constructed. Enigma Babylon One-World Faith would be its name, or so the news reports said. Its leader was still being chosen, and its exact ramifications being pinned down. It was being said that it had something to do with combining all religions….like that was gonna work.

But unfortunately, eventually it would. Or some form of it would. Millions would fall for it, and in about three years or so most of them would accept _Nicolae Carpathia_ as god…but their joint mission was to keep as many people from that fate as possible.

Daniel found himself talking mostly to Bruce, who, being a pastor, enjoyed theological discussions just as much as Daniel had come to in the past few months. Simon Dockett, Springs Baptist's pastor, was the spiritual leader for the Tribulation Force SG-1 as well as the rest of the church, and Jack was pretty much the leader of the SG-1 Trib Force, as he had always been the leader of SG-1, but when not at church, Daniel found his group looking to him. He'd become the unofficial leader of the much larger SGC Bible study group that met two or three times a week now, and as the group grew, it increasingly unnerved him.

He had been consulting with Bruce in the past months by phone and e-mail, but it helped a lot more to be able to talk to the fellow teacher--who had much more experience than Daniel did--face to face. Bruce was extremely encouraging, and while he couldn't have the answers to everything as any mere human couldn't, he was something of a mentor to Daniel as well as an increasingly close friend.

"Is it just me, or is it lunch time?" Jack said finally. Daniel glanced at his watch and noticed that it was almost two in the afternoon. They had all gotten there about ten that morning.

"I know _I_ could use some food," Buck agreed.

Rayford glanced at his own watch and his eyebrows went up. "After flying all night, no kidding; me too."

"Did you guys even eat anything before you got here?" Sam asked.

"We grabbed some breakfast at the airport," Chloe answered.

Jack stood up. "For cryin out loud, you people really need some food then."

That brought on laughter, and together the ten of them made their way slowly back out to the vehicles, discussing where to go for lunch. Eventually they ended up at an almost abandoned McDonalds, arriving well after the lunch crowd.

"Oo, hey, it even has an indoor Playland," Buck joked.

"Those were fun," Cassie giggled. She was the youngest here, a few months younger even than Chloe, though Chloe laughed and agreed as well.

"Just don't go jumping into the ball pen, Buck," she advised.

He feigned hurt. "Why would I do something as childish as that?"

"I know you."

Buck's arm was around her, and it was obvious by now that the two were enamored with each other. Daniel smiled to himself. Too bad for Sam. Unfortunately, at the moment he thought that he happened to look at Sam, who was walking beside him, and she glanced at him at the same time. Somehow she must have guessed what he was thinking, and punched him on the arm.

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?" he smirked.

She smirked right back. "You know what for, and you'd better stop that line of thought right now, Daniel Jackson."

"What?" Jack asked, clueless.

"Never mind," Daniel answered, rolling his eyes in amusement and rubbing his arm. Jack just shrugged, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow while Cassie and Sara snickered. The poor Trib Force from the east had no idea what was going on, either.

"Is this a Tribulation Force or a comedy club?" Bruce inquired, eyes laughing.

"You tell me," Ray replied, shaking his head.

* * *

It was great to be back in Colorado, and to see not only his friends, but also Rayford again and meet the rest of his group. Everyone was doing well, Sara was pregnant, they were having a great time…Jack could almost forget that they were living in the last days. His life had never had this much purpose or been this enjoyable. Well, all right, it had definitely been this enjoyable back when he and Sara had Charlie, but now there was something else entirely. And they would see Charlie again in six-and-a-half years, if not before. All Jack could do was send up a whole-hearted prayer of thanks for having these days before things got worse for Christians. 

After they ate, they stayed a while and continued to talk--or they did until Buck led a one-man charge into the Playland. Chloe followed him after a moment, and Cassie and Carter were next. After another few minutes Daniel just grinned and shrugged.

"Why not?" he said, and then he was gone too.

Jack, Sara, Teal'c, Rayford, and Bruce were left at the tables, listening to the laughs, shrieks, and thumping coming from inside the plastic tubes and slides. Jack would have followed the rest of them if he hadn't known his knees would protest way too much. Instead he sat where his was, his arm around Sara, and shook his head.

"What are they doing?" Teal'c wondered aloud.

"They're acting like kids," Jack smirked.

"Aren't they a little too old for that?" Bruce teased.

Ray shrugged. "Oh sure they are, but I know that doesn't stop Chloe and Buck."

Jack grinned and shrugged. "And Carter, Daniel, and Cassie? Nah, not them either."

"That's one reason I've always liked your friends, Jack," Sara laughed.

"Yeah. Me too," he smiled.

When they finally left the McDonalds, the group went back to the church, where they had some Bible study and prayer time together before the Trib Force had to go. They had a hotel for the night, and were flying out in the morning, but they were flying out early and needed their sleep--especially Rayford, who had to fly the plane.

It was a bittersweet goodbye when it was time for the two forces to part. They didn't know if they would ever be able to meet again like this. But they knew they would see each other again when the Tribulation was over.

"Well, we'll be keeping an eye out for another time when we can do something like this again," Jack said as they stood near the vehicles.

"Definitely; this has been great," Ray nodded. "Make sure to keep in touch, all of you."

"We will," Daniel smiled.

That initiated a final round of hugs and farewells, before everyone climbed into their respective vehicles: Carter and Cassie into Carter's to go home to her house, Teal'c into his to go back to the SGC, Daniel into his to go to his own home, the Trib Force into their rented SUV to go to the hotel they'd booked, and Jack and Sara into their rented vehicle to go to Daniel's house as well, where they would be staying for the next couple of days while they were here.

Then, with waves through open windows, the Trib Forces parted.

* * *

The next morning, Sam was at the SGC checking on the status of a newly begun experiment before meeting everyone else. They were spending the day out together again though today the Trib Force from the east wasn't in Colorado anymore, and since it was a friendly gathering, not just Trib Force business, Vala was coming too. 

Sam stopped by General Landry's office to let him know she was leaving again, but he wasn't there. She walked out into the conference room and noticed that the 'gate was activated. No one was in the 'gate room, but it was on. Curious, she quickly made her way down the metal grated steps to the control room.

It was Atlantis. They hadn't heard from the city for almost six months, since Doctor Weir had called in just a few days after the rapture. Sometimes they went for a few months without checking in, so it wasn't really unusual under normal circumstances, but considering everything that had been going on since the rapture, it sort of was now.

"-been conserving power," Weir was saying. "The Wraith are, on the warpath, I believe you'd say," she sighed.

So that was why, Sam thought as Landry replied. It made sense, yet she couldn't help getting the feeling that there was more to it.

On the screen she could see Doctor Weir and Colonel Caldwell of the Daedalus, and off to the side Colonel Sheppard. At that moment though, Rodney McKay rushed in and sat down in front of a laptop nearby, and Sam made sure she was out of the way of the camera on the SGC's end.

"I have a compressed message on it's way to you, including the list of everyone we've lost and all the intelligence reports we've recently received about the Wraith," the scientist said, all business.

"I'll have someone go over it as soon as possible, Doctor McKay," Landry replied in thanks.

"I'd consider it a personal favor if someone could check on my sister," McKay added. Ah yes, Jeanie Miller….Sam winced to herself when she remembered that someone had 'already' checked in on McKay's sister's family. She had done it herself. Both Jeanie's husband and her little girl had been raptured, leaving the young woman alone. Though it wasn't part of what the Air Force had sent her there to do in checking on Jeanie, Sam had witnessed to her. Mrs. Miller hadn't made a decision for Christ then, but she hoped she would.

Landry made a comment back to Rodney, then spoke to the young man who sat where Walter had always sat, before the rapture, and told him to send Atlantis the files containing the information about the families of the expedition's members.

"Oh, and get Potentate Carpathia on the phone," the general told one of the other junior officers in the control room. "Tell him Atlantis has dialed in." The young woman scurried over the to side of the room where the phone was to do it, and Landry turned back to the screen.

"You've been busy," McKay murmured as he went over the received message on the computer in front of him.

The young officer on the phone mouthed something at Landry before he answered.

"Yes, we have. Doctor Weir, before you cut the connection, Potentate Carpathia wants to speak with you."

"Is he at the SGC?" Weir asked quickly. It was a bit too quickly, almost as if she had something to be afraid of if he was. Sam knew that she and the other Christians here at the SGC would if he was, but--wait. Was Weir a Christian now? Where any of the others on Atlantis?

"No. But you remember the holographic imager Colonel Carter was working on?"

"She perfected it?" McKay butted in. He sounded surprised, and Sam snorted to herself. Of course she had--pretty much.

"Almost," the general answered. "Carpathia asked to be allowed to borrow it, and after some convincing, she agreed." It sure had taken some convincing all right. She hadn't wanted to let him anywhere near it or anything else, but she'd told Daniel last week why she finally agreed. It wasn't worth getting into a huge hassle over.

"-'ll be using it," Landry was saying. That was when Sam noticed the holographic sensor/projectors from the device placed around the edges of the control room. Carpathia had the tripod-like transmitters. At that moment, landry stepped out of the way of the direct view of the camera, and nodded at the woman at the phone. She spoke a word or two into the receiver, and then hung up. A second later a holographic image popped into existence where Landry had been standing a moment before. It flickered and then settled.

It was Nicolae Carpathia, in a dark suit and smiling sweetly. His expression almost made Sam sick.

"Mr. Carpathia." Doctor Weir's voice was polite and diplomatic, nothing more. There was no trace on her face of the expression that was on General Landry's, of being delighted to be in the presence, sort of, of the Global Community Potentate. That was what confirmed it for Sam. Elizabeth had to be a Christian. With Carpathia's power over minds, there was no other way she could have remained so impassive to him.

Carpathia gave a mock pout. "So formal. And here I thought you had special memories of me."

On the screen, Weir went just a bit read, and Sam saw John Sheppard edge up next to her and whisper something. She shook her head to him minutely. That was when Caldwell also stepped closer to Weir, and Carpathia turned to address him.

"Ah, Colonel Caldwell. I must request you return to Earth at once. The Daedalus is part of the disarmament agreement with the United States and I insist you comply or else the other nations might seek retribution."

Caldwell's arms crossed over his chest. "I'm sorry, sir, but that isn't possible at this time."

"Why not?" Carpathia asked, eyes narrowing. He obviously didn't like that answer very much. Yep, he definitely had a plot up his sleeve.

"One of the people I lost was Hermiod."

Hermiod? Lost? As in taken in the rapture? Sam hadn't heard of any Asgard being Christians before they had destroyed their planet and all of them had died, but it was certainly possible.

Carpathia didn't understand this, and Landry, Caldwell, and Elizabeth had to explain that Hermiod had been the Asgard who kept the Daedalus's hyperdrive in check, and that without the little alien sometimes the hyperdrive on the newer earth ship was difficult to operate. Both Elizabeth and Caldwell insisted that the Daedalus wasn't going anywhere for a while.

By itself, that explanation didn't make perfect sense, but Carpathia wouldn't know that. There had to be another reason why they were refusing to come. Maybe there were many Christians on Atlantis by now, and they knew that things would only be worse for them later if they returned to Earth now. Sam could only hope that was the case.

"But I insist!" Carpathia glared angrily.

Caldwell looked surprised at that outburst for a moment, before answering. "And just who are you, sir, to give me orders? I answer to the US Air Force and ultimately, our commander and chief."

"Who now answers to me." Carpathia leaned forward. "You will return at once."

"No, sir." Caldwell replied. "The Wraith are becoming an even greater problem and the Daedalus is needed here."

"I have to agree, Mr. Carpathia," Elizabeth spoke up. "If the Wraith attack the city, I'm going to need the Daedalus' fire power."

"You are to return as well, Dr. Weir." Carpathia seemed unfazed by their lack of obedience. "Elizabeth, you are a skilled diplomat. I need you're here to help me."

"I think you can handle it on your own," Weir told him. _Go Elizabeth_, Sam thought, smirking to herself. _Put Carpathia in his place._

"Dr. Weir," Landry interjected. "I really think,"

"My decision is final." Weir crossed her arms and glared back at Carpathia. "I'm needed here as well. Atlantis out." With that, she motioned to McKay, and the connection was severed.

Carpathia stared at the blank computer screens for a moment, then turned to Landry and thanked him, mentioning something about 'please compliment Colonel Carter'. Sam didn't hear all of it because she was being too busy shivering involuntarily and being glad she'd stayed back far enough that neither of them knew she was in here.

"I will, sir. It's been an honor," the general smiled.

Sam waited until Carpathia smiled back and his transmitted image shimmered out of existence to come out of the shadows.

Landry turned, saw her, and smiled. "Ah, Sam, there you are. Potentate Carpathia had just asked me to--"

"I heard, sir, thanks," she said before he could finish, pasting on a smile.

"All right, I second his compliments," he added.

"Uhm, thank you, sir."

He peered at her for a moment. "Is something wrong?"

She crossed her arms. "Can I talk to you, sir?"

Landry glanced around at the others in the control room, then motioned for her to follow him. "Of course, colonel," he said, leading her up to his office. He sat down behind his desk and offered her the chair opposite it, but she politely refused and decided to stand. She was too jittery now to sit.

"What is it?" he asked.

Sam sighed. "How can you be on his side all the time, sir?" she questioned.

Landry raised an eyebrow. "He's the Global Community Potentate, colonel."

"I _know_ that sir, but--but you've heard what we have to say about him. How can you not see that that man is not who he says he is? Did you see that outburst? How angry he became at the slightest bit of disobedience?"

"I will not discuss religious matters with you, here, colonel," he answered flatly, face impassive.

"It's not about 'religion', sir, it's about the truth. It's about life and death. Surely as often as you talk to Carpathia and see him act like that at times, you have to see that he has a dark side."

Landry actually smiled a bit at that. "We all have our dark sides, colonel--even you and me."

Sam swallowed back a frustrated cry. She and all of the other prayed for general Landry and Vala and the others every day, but at least on those two, not much progress had been made yet.

"I'm not denying that sir, but Carpathia is different. He is _evil_. He'll destroy all of us, and you have to be able to see that before you fall into his trap irreversibly."

Now Landry stood, looking almost angry. "Colonel, you have your own beliefs, and I respect that, but that should not extend to the workplace. While you are here on this base, I will not allow you to verbally or in any other form take out your religious prejudices on the greatest leader this planet has ever had--especially not in my presence."

Sam just stared at him for a moment. "Religious preju--what??" she stammered incredulously. That was what he thought she was doing? This wasn't about Carpathia at all--it was about _him_.

"You heard me, colonel," the general answered, eyes hard now.

"But that's not--"

"I suggest that you leave now, Colonel Carter, before I'm forced to relieve you of duty," Landry said before she could finish.

Sam swallowed and nodded slowly, looking at him for a moment. "Yes sir," she said quietly, then quickly left. She knew it would always be like this from now on, and it would only get worse in the future.

The battle had only just begun.


	20. Eighteen Months In

Hi ya'll. Just so you know, I'll be visiting family for the next week and a half, so I probably won't be able to update until I get back. Didn't you guys to freak out on me, lol. But anyway, got another chapter up before we left so I could let you all know that. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please do tell me what ya think of it when you're done. Thanks to all of you who review and read! hugs good night. :)

Chapter 20

For Jack, at least, the next six months flew by. Nicolae Carpathia continued to change the world little by little, and sometimes big chunk by big chunk, but he almost didn't notice. He and Sara made it back to Colorado for Christmas, and then again just after their son was born.

Gavin Andrew O'Neill came a week early, and was the cutest thing Jack thought he'd ever seen--besides Charlie when he was newborn. In his mind, they tied, and already he couldn't wait until the Tribulation was over and the two brothers could meet each other. He wondered if there would be any 'other' siblings by then.

Jack's life had been changed forever when he had become a Christian and re-married Sara. Little Gavin changed it yet again. He was named after Jack's father, and then Sara's. At first they had wanted for his first name to be Andrew, because Sara's father was still alive and he would have been delighted, but putting the two names the other way around just hadn't sounded as nice. In the end, it worked out wonderfully, because Sara's father was still touched, and Gavin was fun because it wasn't common.

Daniel loved the name because, according to him, it pretty much came all the way from medieval times. Whatever. Not that Jack would have known that. Daniel was also the god-father, while Carter was the god-mother. Jack and Sara didn't really know any couples for the job, so it had just sort of worked out that way. Jack didn't know for sure, but back at the SGC they had probably gotten a good ribbing about it for a while after the word got out.

When Gavin was two months old, the Trib Force SG-1 was able to get together with the Tribulation Force again. It was the same group, with one addition. Rayford brought along Amanda White, his girlfriend, for lack of a better word, and a new addition to the Trib Force. It was also quite obvious that Buck and Chloe were getting much more serious in their relationship.

Sure enough, about three months after that, Buck and Chloe, Ray and Amanda had a double wedding ceremony at New Hope Village Church, officiated by Bruce. It was a tiny, private ceremony, with only the five of them in the room. The SG-1 Trib Force received e-mail reports of this, and phoned back their congratulations. Chloe moved to New York with Buck, and Rayford and Amanda were moved to New Babylon where Carpathia now was. Bruce was hardly alone, though, as he had his world traveling to do and a church congregation to lead.

There wasn't really any romance happening in Colorado, but then again, at the SGC there never really was much. It was a military base, after all. Oh well.

Another few weeks later, and now eighteen months of the Tribulation had passed without major incident. The one-world currency was in full effect, and they were called Nicks. Go figure. The one-world religion was also underway, and was gaining followers by the millions. Enigma Babylon One-World faith was indeed it's name, it was ruled by a pompus pope/priest-like leader from the Vatican city. The pope had vanished in the rapture. New Babylon was completed, and Carpathia had recently moved there from New York. It was the new headquarters of the Global Community; it might as well have been called the capital of the world.

Besides the changes, life was still relatively normal. Sometimes Jack heard little things, plans, ideas, before the rest of the population did, and when he did he relayed them to the rest of the Trib Force SG-1. When it wasn't something that had to do with the stargate, Daniel and the rest of them then sent that information on to the other Trib Force, and the eastern Tribulation Force shared their inside information gained by Rayford and Buck as well.

But they all new that the rest of the judegements would probably begin soon. The peace wouldn't last. It was just a matter of waiting for the shoe to drop--or rather, for the second Horse of the Apocalypse to ride.

* * *

Jack smiled down at Gavin in his crib while he kept an eye on the baby, waiting for Sara to come out of the bathroom. The little boy was sound asleep, the corner of a blue fleece blanket wrapped in his fist.

Sara emerged from the bathroom in a nightgown and robe and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Jack turned and kissed her, then pulled back and sighed. "Sorry, honey, but I've got a report to write before I can go to bed," he apologized, placing another kiss on her forehead.

She smiled. "Don't take too long; you need sleep too."

"Yes, mom," he chuckled.

Sara laughed too, and kissed him again. "Good night."

"'Night," Jack replied, untangling his arms from hers. He gave her and Gavin one more smiling glance, then trekked back out to the living room and sat down at his desk to his laptop, where an open blank Word document waited. _Blasted government desk jobs…_he mussed. He still missed the field. He still missed being a regular part of his team.

A half hour later he was only half done, and he was thirsty. But when he stood and started to turn he bumped into--no, wait--when _right through_ something. Yelping in surprise, and stumbled forward the next couple of steps and staggered around to look back toward the desk. Not some_thing_, some_one_.

"Skaara."

The young Abydonian wasn't smiling as usual. "O'Neill."

It only took a couple of seconds to get over the surprise; he was a man used to strange. "Uhm…hi. What's up? How's the glowy thing going? Heard it got kinda weird up there after the rapture."

Skaara nodded. "It did. It was chaos… But I did listen to what Danyer and Samantha and Cassie had to say."

"Did you?"

Another nod, this time joined by a small smile. "It took several more of your weeks for me to realize finally that it was all true, but now I am, as you would say, a Christian. As are my wife and my father, and many others on our plane."

Jack grinned. "Hey, buddy, that's great. Why didn't you talk to us again sooner then?"

Skaara shook his head. "I am sorry, but I could not." He scowled. "There are many more Christians than I among the ascended now, but we are still a very small minority among the whole. The others do not like our faith, and that we try to spread it, and of course as usual they keep us from communicating with those on this plane." At this, his voice began to rise, and Jack shushed him.

"Shh, there's a baby sleeping in the other room, ya know."

"I know, O'Neill. And I am quite happy for you. But your wife and child cannot see or hear me now. I did not want to wake them."

"Oh, that trick…"

The Abydonian smiled a bit more. "Yes."

Jack cleared his throat. "Okay…so how come you can talk _now_? What's goin on?"

Now Skaara became serious again. "It is because of what is happening on the ascended plane. The others finally became tired of us, and have attacked. There is war on our plane."

Jack stared at him for a moment. "War??"

Skaara nodded. "Yes. And yes, I also know what it means."

"The rest of the judegements are starting."

"Yes." He sighed. "The battles have just begun recently, and we do not know how far this will go, but we have seen evidence that the others plan to force us out."

Jack frowned. "_Out?_ As in--"

"Out of our current plane of existence and back to human form, yes. We have not really broken any of the rules, so we cannot simply be booted out, as there is no grounded reason. But enough of them attack all of us at once, we can be forcibly put out."

"Great…" Jack sighed. "Well…wish I could help you; you know that. But the fact is, there's really nothing I can do when it comes to all the ascended stuff…"

"I know," he nodded. "I only came to warn you that the war has started on our plane, and may soon begin in yours."

"Right. Thanks a lot for that, by the way. And if anything ever happens and you do get kicked out or something, you're always welcome, if you need a place to stay or anything…"

Skaara smiled softly then. "Thank you. I will keep that in mind." At that moment there was a shimmer beside him, and a pretty young Abydonian woman appeared beside him briefly.

"Skaara, you must return; the others are beginning to get suspicious, even in the midst of battle. You cannot stay any longer." Skaara glanced and her and nodded, and she nodded in satisfaction and disappeared quickly.

"The wife?" Jack asked, unable to help smiling.

"Indeed," he answered, smiling back for a moment. Then it faded. "I must go now."

"I heard. Take care of yourself, Skaara."

"I will do my best; but God is in control." Jack nodded in agreement. "Goodbye, O'Neill. All of you will be in my prayers.

"And you'll be in ours."

Then Skaara vanished again in a flash of light.

Jack sighed to himself, then grabbed the phone. Quickly he called Baker. The captain wasn't any happier to be woken up in the middle of the night than Jack himself had been back on the night of the rapture, but once he heard the news, he understood. Baker had been stubborn at first, and a bit enamored of Carpathia, but just two months before, he had finally become a Christian.

Jack advised the man to get out of Washington sometime soon, and asked him to arrange plane tickets for him, Sara, and Gavin the next morning. He was a high ranking general in the U.S. Air Force; he didn't have to do it himself. The sometimes annoying desk job did have it's perks.

His next task was to wake Sara. She wasn't happy at first, either.

"What, Jack?" she mumbled tiredly.

"Come on, Sara, wake up for me, please."

Sighing, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

He stood up from where he'd been sitting on the edge of the bed shaking her. "You have to get up; we have to pack."

"Pack for what?" she asked, thoroughly confused.

He told her what had just happened. "And this is a major city, Sara; we can't stay here. We need to pack everything we can that's important and get out. It may not be necessary, but I won't take that chance with my family."

She sighed, nodded, and stood and grabbed her robe. "All right…where are the suitcases?"

Jack smiled. "I love you."

* * *

Daniel jerked awake, but wasn't sure what had done it or why until he heard the phone ringing. He glanced at the clock beside his bed, but without his glasses he couldn't quite make the numbers out. Whatever number that was in front of the two zeros, it was…late. Sighing, he reached for the phone and grabbed it.

"'Ello?"

"_Hey, it's me_,"

Daniel pushed up into a half-sitting position. "Jack? What are you doing calling at this time of night?"

"_Well, believe it or not earlier tonight I got a visit from Skaara_."

Now he sat up all the way, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Really? How's he doing? What's up?"

Jack explained what the Abydonian had told him. Daniel was more than happy that Skaara and Kasuf were now believers, as well as others of the ascended, but was disturbed by the report of war among them.

"So the war could start here on earth any time now," he said, drawing the conclusion.

"_Basically,_" Jack agreed. "_Skaara contacted me to warn us_."

"I hope you thanked him."

"_Don't worry; I did all right. By the way, all three of us are flying into Colorado Springs tomorrow. I'm taking some time off._"

Daniel blinked. "Here? Tomorrow? Why?"

"_Daniel, Washington D.C. is the most important city in this country. With war coming, I'm not staying here with my family. We've been up for three hours getting ready to go. Our plane leaves early. Sorry, but I had to call now, because we have to get to the airport soon, what with the fact that you still have to be there two hours early and all…that hasn't changed…_" Jack relayed the time they would arrive, and Daniel nodded.

"It's okay, and thanks for letting me know."

"_You're welcome. I wanted one of you to know before we left, but you don't have to wake anybody else up. This could happen any time, but whatever shape it takes, I doubt Colorado Springs will be in any danger._"

"I hope not, anyway."

"_Yeah, no kidding. Look, I gotta go, but just--_"

"Pray. I know, Jack. I will." He smiled a bit even though Jack couldn't see it. "God's got your back."

There was a chuckle from the other end of the line, and then they said their goodbyes and both hung up.

Daniel tried to get back to sleep, but he found it impossible, and instead filled the time by praying for a safe trip for Jack, Sara, and Gavin, and that the rest of them would be kept safe when whatever it was broke out.

* * *

The next morning, he called Sam and Cassie at Sam's house to get the message started along, and headed for the SGC. He met them and Teal'c at the base, and from there the four of them passed the word around. Jack and his family arrived later that day. They hung around the base most of the afternoon, until Daniel got off work and could bring them back to his house to get settled in for however long they would be there.

Jack urged Sara to get some rest in the guest room, and once they had all their luggage inside and in the room she went right to sleep. Daniel could see that he would have gone right to sleep too, if it wasn't for the fact that Gavin was wide awake and hungry. Jack dropped into a chair in the rebuilt living room.

"Oi…"

Daniel sighed and sat down in the next chair, looking down at Gavin in his car seat/carrier. "Jack, you're exhausted. You haven't slept in thirty-six hours. Go to bed; I'll feed him for you."

Jack peered up at him. "You sure?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't intend on doing anything."

Jack smirked, reached down and tossed the diaper bag that had been sitting next to the baby carrier into his lap. "The formula and stuff is in there. He'll he some baby food after his bottle, too. How much depends on how hungry he is, but don't give him any more than one of the little jars. And you know how to get the formula ready and stuff, right?"

Daniel smirked back now. "I'm not completely ignorant, Jack."

"Okay, okay," O'Neill laughed tiredly. "Thanks."

"No problem." Jack nodded one more time and then trudged into the guest room and shut the door. He would probably be asleep before he could get his shoes off.

Daniel turned back to the baby carrier and undid the straps holding Gavin in before picking him up. "Hey, little buddy," he smiled. The baby smiled back at him and made a gurgling sound he assumed was happy. "Well, let's see if we can't get you fed, shall we?"


	21. Dates

Okay, sorta kinda back from vacation visiting family...actually I'm still there and just got hold of a computer for a few hours. I'll actually be back Saturday and should get another chapter up soon after then, so...anyway. About to get back to the action, wheee! Fun part starts now. So here's a longish chapter to apologize again for being away.

I'd like to know if ya'll are still with me here, so please review. Not to mention there are a few things in this chapter I'd really like to hear your opnions on. ;) You'll see. Read and enjoy!

Chapter 21

Gavin was fed and happy, everything was cleaned up and put away again, and Daniel was just about to put the baby back into his carrier to sleep—there was nowhere else at his house to put him—when the doorbell rang. Wondering who would be coming this late in the afternoon, and still carrying a half awake six-month-old in his arms, he went to the door…then remembered that he couldn't open it. He looked around for the baby carrier seat, but now couldn't remember where he'd set it.

"Daniel, are you in there or not!" called a voice from the other side of the door.

He sighed. Vala. Sometimes he forgot that Teal'c had taught her how to drive a few months back.

"I'm in here, but you're gonna have to open the door yourself; it's unlocked," he called back. He moved out of the way, and a moment later the door opened, and Vala stepped in and closed it behind her.

"Now, why did I have to—oh." She stopped when she saw him holding the baby, and smiled. "Hi Gavin."

Daniel rolled his eyes and moved back out into the living room. "He can't understand you."

"So? That's no reason not to talk to him."

"Whatever…." He refused to admit that he'd been talking to the boy for the entire half hour it had taken to feed him. He found the carrier by the couch where he'd left it, but before he could lower Gavin into it Vala spoke up again.

"Oh wait, can I hold him for a minute?"

He glanced back at her. "He's not my son."

She looked around. "Well where are Jack and Sara?"

"Asleep," Daniel answered. "Okay, fine, you can hold him for a minute, but then _he_ needs to get some sleep too."

Vala crossed her arms. "Darling, I'm not completely ignorant about babies just because mine only stayed that way for about fifteen minutes."

"Sorry," he sighed. "Here." Carefully he handed Gavin to her. She took him gently and cradled him against her like he was a newborn. He'd almost been asleep, but when he changed hands he woke up a bit and gave Vala something that looked like a smile crossed with a squeaking yawn.

"You're so cute," she giggled. Gavin seemed to like that, and he fell asleep in her arms almost instantly. Daniel just stared for a moment, then stood there awkwardly for another couple, not sure what he was supposed to do. He didn't even know why Vala had come over yet. By the time he snapped out of that thought enough to look at Vala again, she no longer looked happy.

"Something wrong?"

She shook her head. That was always her answer. She always seemed eager to hold Gavin at first, and then she got that look on her face. "I'm fine." She spotted the carrier on the floor, and carefully laid Gavin down in it and covered him up with the blanket that was sitting inside it, then straightened again. Now the important thing was not to wake him, so Daniel led her into the kitchen.

"What is it?" he asked once they were there.

"Oh, I don't know…" She must have thought he was asking why she was here in the first place. Or she was acting like she did.

"No, I mean back there. That happens every time. What's wrong?"

Vala crossed her arms and turn partly away from him. "Daniel, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm perfectly fine."

"Yeah, and pigs can fly."

"Actually, there was that funny little bird on P36-285 that did look a lot like a pig—"

"Vala!"

She huffed. "Sorry."

Daniel looked at her hard. "What's wrong?" He had a pretty good idea of the basics of the subject matter, but he wanted her to tell him.

Vala's arms were still crossed. "Look, it's just that I can't help thinking about Adria when I hold him. It only reminds me that they never let me hold _her_ when she was a baby. They took her away as soon as she was born and the next time I saw her she already looked three or four. I'm sorry, but that upset me a little bit."

Now, Daniel had heard other tales from her of what had happened while she was stuck in the Ori galaxy, and on that Ori ship before he'd found her, but this he hadn't heard.

"They didn't even let you hold her at all?" he asked incredulously.

She shook her head. He could understand that _that_ might be upsetting. "I'm sorry…I didn't know that."

"Well, congratulations. You found out the answer to one of the _many_ things you don't know."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It _means_ that you don't have the slightest idea why I'm even here, do you?"

"You haven't told me yet."

"You haven't asked!"

"I was about to."

"Good, you'd better hear me out then."

She sounded angry by now, and her voice had raised enough that it could most definitely be heard in the living room. Daniel put his hands on her arms. "Vala, calm down. Whatever's wrong, I'll listen. There's no need to be yelling."

Vala did lower her voice, but she pulled away from him. "Oh really? You don't know why I came yet."

He sighed. "Fine. Why are you here?"

She kept her arms crossed, and leaned back against the counter. "Well, I'm not really sure what I was planning to do, but all I know is that I've had enough."

And he had had enough of her not making any sense. "What?"

"You and our infatuation with this religion of yours, Daniel. I've dealt with it and indulged all of you for a year-and-a-half now, and I'm telling you that you need to get over it."

Daniel stared at her. "What?" he repeated.

"You heard me."

"Vala, now is not the time for this…"

She stood up straight again. "Then when _is_ a good time?"

He sighed heavily and shook his head. "I don't know how else to explain it to you. I've tried every way in the book, and you won't leave it alone. I believe what I believe because I know it's true. I gave up trying to convince you myself months ago because I know you won't listen to me anymore, and left it to God to either help me do it or bring you around Himself when he would, because I obviously can't do it alone. That's all I can say. I don't know what else to tell you."

Vala just looked at him for a moment, eyes hard, before she finally spun on her heel and headed for the door. "Fine then. I'll just leave since you don't seem to care about me at a—"

"Whoa!" He practically jumped forward and placed himself in the doorway, keeping her from leaving the kitchen. "Who says I don't care?"

She glared at him. "You; just not in so many words."

Daniel looked her in the eyes. "Don't _ever_ think that."

"Well, if you did care about _me _at all you wouldn't spend all your free time at church or meeting with your 'Bible study group' or your little 'Tribulation Force'. And why do you think this is a _Tribulation_ anyway? What has happened that was bad since the vanishings?"

"The rapture," he corrected automatically.

"_Whatever_ they were. But really, Daniel, everything has been fine since then. Nicolae Carpathia has done wonders for this little planet."

"That's what he wants you to think." Vala started to open her mouth, but Daniel continued. "That's not what we're talking about, though. The truth is, Vala, is that I do those things _because_ I care about you. I pray for you while I'm in those meetings, while I'm praying or reading my Bible or while I'm doing _anything_. And it's not like I spend _all_ of my time doing those things."

"Well, it' a good bit of it," she pouted.

"Sometimes, yeah, it can be. But that's not a bad thing."

"It is to me."

She wasn't entirely wrong. It seemed like he was constantly praying for her, but it wasn't often that he spent time with her besides when they were off world. The rest of SG-1 had grown closer that ever in the last eighteen months because of the amount of time they spent growing in their faith together, but Vala was left out in that area. They tried to include her as much as they could, but much of what they did she would have no part in. Daniel thought about that for a moment.

"All right…" he began slowly. "What would you have me do different?"

Vala crossed her arms. "Well, if you're not going to give up your church stuff, I'd at least like it if we all did more together that didn't involve church thing at all. All of us, or just us…" She trailed off suggestively, and he raised an eyebrow. She shrugged.

Daniel was silent for a moment, while she just looked at him expectantly.

"All right, what about this? You stop flipping on me, and tomorrow after church we'll do…something. Just me and you. I don't know what yet, but we'll do something. Okay?"

She looked at him for a just a brief moment, contemplating, then nodded. "Okay. That'll do for now, I suppose."

Daniel nodded back once. "Good. Now, in case you haven't noticed, everyone else in this house is asleep, so…"

"Oh, right. I'll go now," Vala agreed. Then almost as an afterthought she said, "You know, it _has_ been over two years since our last date that we never got to complete because I was kidnapped. It's about time we made that up."

He held up a finger. "And just like last time, I'm telling you that it is _not_ a date," he stressed.

She shrugged. "Don't worry, darling, I know." Vala started past him, but pecked him on the cheek on the way. "But I can pretend, can't I?" she winked.

Daniel spun in surprise, sputtering a bit, and watched her go. When she was out the front door and he heard her driving away he groaned to himself a bit. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

The next day was Sunday, and those at Springs Baptist that had missed Jack and Sara while they were in Washington were glad to see them. It seemed that everyone they knew crowded around them and Gavin both before and after church, and by the time the service was over Sam felt a bit lonely. Both Daniel and Teal'c had left immediately after—Daniel to pick up Vala, and Teal'c to get through the 'gate to a meeting of the new Jaffa Council that was in place since the temple at Dakara and most of the previous council had been wiped out—and Cassie was over with the rest of the small crowd around the O'Neills.

That crowd was constantly shrinking as more and more of the congregation left for home, and soon it was only a few. Sam had talked to them the day before at the SGC, so she had no reason to intrude on whatever conversations they were having now. She couldn't leave though, because she and Cassie had ridden here together. So she stood where she was, against the wall near the door of the sanctuary, not far from the O'Neills, Cassie, and the other few people left, waiting. She couldn't have been more surprised when she saw Simon Dockett break free from the group and approach her.

"Hello Samantha," he smiled, offering his hand. She took it to shake briefly. "How are you doing?" Simon had never seemed to be quite comfortable with calling her 'Sam'. It didn't bother her; it was kind of cute. Like he was. But she quickly banished that last thought as inappropriate. One wasn't supposed to think that way of someone like Dockett….right? He was a pastor. Granted, he was a Baptist pastor, which meant he wasn't prohibited from marrying or anything but…._Oh, stop it, Samantha!_

Sam shrugged as she let go of his hand. "I'm fine. Nothing much going on; just waiting for the other shoe to drop, as always."

"Agreed. It's not easy wondering when such horrible things as those described in the Bible from later in the Tribulation will happen, and never knowing for sure. We can't know God's timing, but we can know that he will never give us more than we can handle with his help."

"Well, that's true," Sam smiled in return. Someone called to Dockett as they left, and waved. He turned and waved back, his hair flopping over one ear. He had dark hair that couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be black or dark brown. It depended on the light. Right now, with the sunlight coming in through the front doors and hitting half of his head as whoever it was left, it looked half and half.

Simon turned back to her. "Though, we do suspect that the war or wars will be soon. I guess that's why all of us are a bit more tense than usual."

"You can say that again," Sam nodded. _Unfortunately, I can't warn you any further that it might be sooner than you think…or that it's really already started…_

"Yes, and, in light of that…." He trailed off as the door closed, leaving his hair looking all black again. _Stop noticing that!_

"Yes?" she questioned.

Simon sighed a bit. "Well, their is something I've been meaning to ask you, Samantha, and I'm not sure if now is the right time, but….well, as we've said, we can't know when what will happen, and before possible chaos breaks out again, I decided that I should…." He was speaking quickly, and the fact that she was looking at him intently didn't seem to help. His face was getting a bit pink now.

"What is it?" she asked, helping him along a bit.

"Well, would you…uhm….Samantha, would you like to….go to lunch? Perhaps?"

Sam blinked rapidly in surprise for a moment. Yes, it had seemed he was going in that kind of direction, but hearing it was still rather surprising.

"Oh….I don't know, Simon, I mean I have to take Cassie back to the house; we came in the same vehicle…"

His countenance visibly dropped just a smidgen. For someone so well educated, it didn't seem that he knew much about dealing with women. Maybe that was why at almost forty he still wasn't married. Though beyond that she couldn't think of another reason. Simon was handsome, smart, and charming, even if he was a little small. But even then, he was only small as in wiry. He was just as tall as she was—all right, a little shorter. But not by much. He was still cute. "Oh. I see. That's fine, I understand."

Sam thought about her answer again for a few seconds. "But I guess she could get another ride or I could drop her off and meet you somewhere."

Simon smiled again. "Either of those sound feasible; whatever would work best for both of you, if you really would like to go."

"I don't mind dropping her off first, if you'll tell me where to meet you." Sam smiled back warmly. "And of course I really wanna go. I'm a strong-willed person, Mr. Dockett. I wouldn't agree if I didn't want to," she teased.

"That's certainly good to know," he chuckled.

* * *

Teal'c stepped out of the stargate onto Dakara, wearing his dark council robes. The new Jaffa Council had, in the last year, moved back to Dakara. The temple was permanently gone, but the stone plateau on which it had stood was still in place. A hut and tent village was here now, around a new stone council building that had been built. The interior was set up much like the old council room, though the actual council chamber was smaller than the old one. Those on the council lived in the other rooms in the building. Teal'c was not a direct member of the council because he lived on earth still and could not be here at all times, but he was welcome at all meetings. Or he had been until the council had fallen in with Nicolae Carpathia and his plans as soon as the second time the Global Community Potentate had come to speak to them.

Now Teal'c still came to council meetings, but he was no longer seen as an honored guest. Bra'tac was on the council, and insisted that he still be allowed to attend. That was the only reason. Even then, it would not have worked out that way if Bra'tac did not also have the support of council member Ka'lel in his opinion. Both were Christians as Teal'c was, and they were the only council members who were. The others fully supported Carpathia and his plans for earth, and also, fortunately, did not know of Bra'tac and Ka'lel's faith. They only knew of Teal'c decision to follow the one true God, and despised him for it. Just as Carpathia and other leaders and people of the Global Community on earth, they saw any Christians—jaffa or otherwise—as a hindrance to their plans.

But what the council's plans were, exactly, Teal'c could not say. He knew that Carpathia went to Dakara regularly to converse with them, but those meetings he was conveniently not informed of until after they occurred. Bra'tac and Ka'lel had to tell him what went on there after the fact. So far, the outlook was not good. Bra'tac reported that the Antichrist was scheming with the Jaffa Council to make his regime not only earth-bound. According to the old jaffa master, the rest of the council was fully ready to follow Nicolae as their leader, if he would only take the responsibility of that as well as leading earth's Global Community. So far he had not, but Teal'c had no doubt that a some point he would.

The Bible prophesied that the Antichrist would rule. That could not mean only one planet. And if Carpathia had control of the huge jaffa nation as well…if they followed him….Carpathia could feasibly control every populated planet in the known galaxy. That had to be his plan.

Bra'tac met him at the 'gate, and led him to a secluded hut at the edge of the village, where Ka'lel waited.

"Are we not going to attend the council meeting?" Teal'c asked.

"There is no council meeting," Ka'lel reported.

Teal'c looked to Bra'tac. "I only sent word that there was a meeting today so that you would come immediately, and I would know what time. There is important news that you must hear, my brother," the old jaffa answered solemnly.

"What has happened?" he asked, seeing the look on his face.

"The next judgment of the Lord our God is coming. And soon."

Teal'c nodded. "We have known that the time is near. I also bring news. The war has already started between the ascended beings of this galaxy. We received warning from one of O'Neills friend, who is among them."

Bra'tac nodded gravely. "And I am afraid that we have more bad news."

Ka'lel sighed. "Along with Nicolae Carpathia, the council is planning attacks. He is planning attacks on cities on your world, though we do not know which ones, and he has advised the council to attack certain settlements on other planets—most with human populations, and a few jaffa—that are largely made up of what the council now calls the 'Christian Zealots'."

"They agree with Carpathia that we are a threat to their plans of peace, and better, utopian society for not only earth, but our galaxy," Bra'tac added.

Teal'c frowned. "However, we know that Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist himself will destroy that peace, two years hence."

"At the midpoint of the Tribulation, yes. We cannot stop that, or these attacks, as the wars are predicted and must happen. But we can warn you to be careful. That is why I called you here."

"For that I am grateful," Teal'c nodded. "It is fortunate that you were able to obtain this information. Our God is good, is he not?"

Ka'lel nodded just a bit, but her lips pressed into a thin line for a moment. "Yes. He is. I know that. But I still do not understand why there must be so much death and destruction before these last seven years are over."

Bra'tac looked at her. "It is because He is good, Ka'lel. If the judgments did not occur, then none of those that did not believe after the rapture would think of Him again. He does it to capture their attention, to bring more to Him before the end."

Teal'c agreed. "And let us pray that He protects all of us through these trials."


	22. Warning

Yes, back from vacation for real now! Okay, now we really do get back to the action. :) I hope you enjoy the story, and please let me know what ya think of the chapter when you're done. It helps a lot to know your thoughts, and I'm very thankful to those of you that review--to all of you. Oh yeah, and since a person or two at least has mention they're still interested, I'll try to get back to "2026" too now that I'm done with that D/V short story, so ya'll can look for that. Okay, I'll shut up now. Enjoy. :)

Note/Mini Disclaimer: I don't own Cracker Barrel. I just love their food. :P And for anyone who didn't already know, yes, lol, I'm very much southern. Home sweet Mississippi.

Chapter 22

Sam, Cassie, and Simon had decided that Cassie would drive Sam's car home, and that she would ride with him wherever they were going. He would bring her home afterwards, and that way Cassie didn't have to inconvenience anyone else to get home.

She and Simon had gone to lunch at the local Cracker Barrel. So far, it had been wonderful. She hadn't actually been to this restaurant before, and the food was great. Not to mention the company. Sam had already known from a year and a half of being acquainted with the man that talking with him provided for some good conversation, but she had never really conversed with him about anything besides spiritual and Biblical matters.

"So, you really wanted to be an astrophysicist, too?" she questioned incredulously, after swallowing a mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy.

Simon shrugged and nodded. "For the longest time, yes. I even went to a math and science high school in Michigan for a couple of years. I grew up around Kalamazoo."

"Really?" Sam quirked a smile. "And I wasn't even sure it actually existed."

"What, Kalamazoo?" He chuckled, "Yes, I do get that reaction a lot."

"So what happened?"

He sighed. "Well, I dropped out of the math and science school my junior year. I just got bored with it. I was more interested in girls and getting high school over with that I was about working hard. And after school, I was still lazy. I went to seminary instead of another university because I thought it'd be easier. It was, sort of, and in other ways it was harder--such as having to bluff my way through acting like a Christian. My parents were, so I knew all the right moves. Now, looking back I'm not quite sure exactly what was going through my head, but I know it was wrong, whatever it was. I know now I was wrong. I was lazy in my spiritual life, too. I never accepted Christ. I kept putting it of, and that's how I ended up left behind."

Sam nodded. "I just ended up here because I was too stubborn to pay attention to anything I thought then was 'religious'. I 'was' one of the first to admit I didn't know for sure, but I still thought they were all a little whacked. And obviously I was wrong too."

"The same was true of so many after the rapture, and still is for a lot of them."

Sam smiled. "And our mission is to spread the word to them." Simon was about to say something else when her cell phone rang. She winced. "Oops, sorry; thought I'd turned it off." She pulled it out and noticed it was an SGC number. "Oh….I should take this; it could be important."

"It's okay; go right ahead. I'll still be here," he smiled.

Sam nodded and flipped open the phone. "Carter." It was Teal'c.

"I have gathered urgent news that you and the others must hear. Is it possible for you to come to the SGC immediately?" he asked.

She sighed. "Uhm, yeah…I can get there. Have you already called everyone else?"

"Only the O'Neills."

"Okay…I'll call Daniel and Cassie."

Teal'c thanked her and hung up, and she let out an exaggerated sigh.

"What's wrong, Samantha?" Simon asked.

"Unfortunately, something's come up and I have to get back to the base," she reported reluctantly.

He looked disappointed, but understood, and offered to drive her.

"It's all right, you can just drop me off at my house. I have to call Daniel and Cassie though; can you give me a minute?" He nodded, and she smiled and opened her phone again to dial Daniel's number.

* * *

It had taken some time to get all the way back to base, pick up Vala, and get back out to the restaurant they were eating lunch at. Daniel worried that he was making a mistake until the moments they got there…and she didn't make any of the usual 'date' cracks. Despite how she'd acted back at the house the day before, she behaved herself. 

While she was still, most definitely, Vala, she had continued over the past eighteen months to improve herself, to fit in better here on Earth, just as she had been doing before the rapture. It was a slow process, but he had to admit that she was still doing a darn good job trying. And obviously it was working.

Once they had ordered and were sitting at their table waiting, Vala glanced around the restaurant and commented on the style of décor that Cracker Barrel implemented.

"Well, it is nice….but certainly in a different way from the other place."

Daniel nodded. "That was an Italian restaurant; this is southern style."

She was still looking around. "Oh, southern, as in like the part of your country where Cameron…" She trailed off there and stared down at her lap for a moment.

"Yeah…meaning that. Cameron was a pure blooded southern boy if I ever saw one," Daniel answered, smiling comfortingly.

Vala smiled back briefly. "And that's good?"

"Of course," he agreed. It was one of the things he'd come to like about the man before he had vanished with the others. "Actually, I've got some southern roots myself."

She quirked her head to side in curiosity. "Really?"

He nodded. "So I've been told. Apparently my grandmother on my dad's side--the one whose Bible I have--was from Alabama. Everyone else in my family was from the more northern states, but that fourth of my lineage is, well, southern."

"That's fun," Vala grinned.

Daniel chuckled lightly. "Yeah, it is."

When the food came, Vala seemed impressed. "This is great!" she exclaimed. "Granted, it's not as good as Cameron's mother's cooking, but still, it's good."

Vala had been to Kansas with Cameron for his high school class reunion, and met both of his parents. His mother she had apparently become good friends with even in the few days they were there, only to find that both of them had disappeared as Cam had. Thus, Vala got a far away, sad look on her face once again at the mention of Mrs. Mitchell, but recovered again and sighed.

Daniel was tempted to ask if she was all right, but she would only blow him off with a 'fine', just as he knew he probably would in her situation. He sighed and kept eating. Vala was cheery again after a few moments, and despite a few small flirtatious slips on Vala's part, they managed to enjoy the meal.

As they were finishing up, Daniel's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and recognized Sam's number.

"What is it?" Vala asked.

"Sam. Just a minute." She shrugged and he flipped it open to answer.

Sam explained that Teal'c had just called with a report of urgent news, and that Jack had already been phoned to meet them at the SGC.

"_Where are you_?" she asked finally, after commenting on the noise in the background.

"Cracker Barrel; what about you?" he answered. He'd noticed plenty of voice in her background too.

"_The same_," she returned in surprise. "_Simon and I are toward the back._"

"And we're closer to the front. That explains why we didn't see you." The whole restaurant was not open; there were partitions, making it seem like more than one rooms even when it really wasn't. And Daniel and vala had probably gotten there later than Sam and Simon.

"_This is good. I don't have to make Simon take me home,_" Sam agreed in amusement.

"No, we'll bring you."

"_Okay…I have to call Cassie and tell her to get there and bring my car, then I'll find you. Just stay where you are._"

Daniel agreed, and hung up, then explained the situation to Vala. She wasn't entirely happy, but they had been about done anyway, so she didn't hold a grudge. Moments later, Sam and Simon appeared from the back. The four of them left the restaurant together. Simon split off in the parking lot, and the SG-1 members headed for Stargate Command.

* * *

"He's _had_ the Jaffa High Council on his side, and _now_ he's planning attacks so he can control _more_ of the galaxy.When is this guy gonna stop?" O'Neill vented in disgust. 

"He's not," Daniel Jackson pointed out.

O'Neill rolled his eyes. "Thanks, but that doesn't help any."

Teal'c had returned to the SGC and sent word for his friends and fellow tribulation Force SG-1 members to join him as soon as they could. They had all gathered at Stargate Command, and he had related to them the report he had been given by Bra'tac and Ka'lel. The five of them were now clustered in Daniel Jackson's office.

But they had not yet heard the full account.

"There is more."

His friends looked at him, their already concerned faces growing more worried.

"What is it?" Samantha Carter asked.

"Bra'tac and Ka'lel have also gathered definitive intelligence that one of the locations known by the High Council is of the headquarters of the Tok'ra," he answered solemnly.

"Uh oh," Cassandra Fraiser mutter, biting her lip.

"Crap," O'Neill scowled.

Daniel Jackson frowned deeply. "Yeah….that's bad."

"But we're going out tomorrow morning on recon. We can warn them," Samantha Carter assured them.

"But, Sam, we don't have a meeting with Anise and Freya set up for this trip." The team usually met with the Tok'ra liaison on a neutral, uninhabited world.

"Maybe not, but we do know the coordinates of the planet they're living on now, Daniel. I know they don't usually like for us to just drop in, but they're going to have to move now anyway, so I don't think they'll mind."

Daniel Jackson shrugged, apparently agreeing with her logic. Teal'c agreed as well. "I believe Samantha Carter is correct. We must warn the Tok'ra to evacuate their world before they are attacked."

"Okay, that's settled then," Daniel Jackson nodded. "But what about here?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do about here, Daniel," O'Neill said. "We're not in any major cities, and we know what's coming and have warned other believers. That's about all we can do right now."

"Everybody sure they don't know anyone in a major city?" Samantha Carter echoed dryly. Daniel Jackson sighed.

"Right…"

Cassandra Fraiser stopped chewing on her lip for a moment. "So this is it? Everything else is going start? No more normal?"

"I guess so," Daniel Jackson nodded.

The room felt into a nervous, uncomfortable silence that Teal'c felt compelled to break. He put an encouraging smile on his face. "But do not lose heart, brothers and sisters. The Lord our God will see us through."

Samantha Carter smiled weakly. "Straight out of the Bible." She looked at the rest of them. "He's right."

The other three nodded, and Daniel Jackson straightened from where he had been leaning heavily on one of the metal tables in the center of the room, which they were gathered around.

"Couldn't be more right."

* * *

Cassie hesitated just for a moment before knocking on the door, still not quite sure why she was here. Jack and Daniel had already left, and now she and Sam were leaving for the night, but she wanted to let Teal'c know. 

"Enter," came the deep voice from inside. Cassie pushed open the door, and found Teal'c sitting at the desk beside his bed, his Bible open before him to Revelation.

"Hey," she smiled. "Whatcha doin?"

The jaffa gave her a smile in return as she came to sit on the edge of the bed near his chair. "I am merely re-acquainting myself with the next few predicted judegements, as they are about to begin," he reported.

She sighed. "Yeah. It's kind of creepy. I know it's a lot about getting more people's attention before it's too late and all, but it's still scary sometimes, thinking about everything that's still going to happen. And I worry about who's going to survive and everything."

Teal'c nodded gravely. "It is true that statistically, only a fourth of us will survive until the Glorious Appearing of Christ at the end of the Tribulation. But those that do perish before that time will be with Him before then. That is not an unpleasant thought."

"No…but it's the how those will end up there that is," Cassie winced.

"You need not worry about such things now," Teal'c assured her, moving from his chair to sit beside her on the bed. "You and each one of us will only die if and when the Lord chooses to take us. It is up to Him."

"That true…" Cassie trailed off and smiled at him then. "You, between now and back in Daniel's office, I'm wondering if you missed a calling as a preacher."

Teal'c tilted his head. "I merely attempt to encourage."

"And you do a good job of it." She hugged him, and he returned the embrace. "I just came to tell you that Sam and I are leaving, but thanks a lot."

"You are most welcome, Cassandra Fraiser," Teal'c smiled when she let go and looked at him.

She stood then. "Good night."

"Good night," he nodded in return.

Cassie left, and met Sam at the elevator to go home, but she couldn't get rid of the feeling she had. And it wasn't a good feeling either. She'd only had it a couple of times before, and she didn't like it at all.

* * *

"I can't believe that I'm still helping you," Daniel heard Vala complain the next morning. She was watching the other three of them each zip several copies of the Bible into their packs and jackets, just enough that they could fit as many as possible without their vest or bags looking really any bigger than usual. 

It was a regular practice by now, whenever they were going to meet Anise/Freya off-world. Originally it had only been so that the Tok'ra believers and the few smalls cells of jaffa and human believers they had contact with and ministered to would have copies, but in the past few months, they had also been helping the Tok'ra set up a stockpile of the books on a planet totally separate from the world they lived on--one that was totally uninhabited--for safety. They would probably need the hidden stash later. Daniel didn't like to think about what it would be like later, but he had to admit they needed to be prepared. The Tok'ra were doing a good job of it so far. Though the fact that it was a united effort as most of their number were believers probably helped.

"You're not helping us; you're just not telling anyone what we're doing," Sam corrected.

"So? I've been doing it for a year-and-a-half, and I don't even agree with you!"

Daniel closed the flap on his pack and straightened. "Maybe it's because you're secretly starting to believe it." It was said teasingly, but inside he still held real hope that possibly that was the case.

"Don't even go there," she shot back, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms tighter, huffing a bit.

But he could see the uncertainty in her eyes, and inwardly latched onto it. "Suit yourself," he shrugged, letting the subject go for now.

They arrived at the planet of their destination safely, looked around, took the samples they needed, finishing several hours' work in only a couple, leaving four hours more of their six-hour mission to alert the Tok'ra of the impending danger. Taking precautions, they went through three more 'gates before dialing the Tok'ra world, to keep from being traced easily just in case.

They stepped out of the stargate on the world the Tok'ra currently inhabited into a lush, almost tropical forest. Usually they didn't chose such lively places to house their underground homes formed of tunnels lined with strong, fast-growing walls of a dull-colored crystal, but this place was extremely muddy. The plants here were able to survive without being drowned by the almost constant rain, and it was worse than even, say, the Amazon rainforest on earth. This made it an undesirable place to be, and thus an good hide-out for the secretive Tok'ra.

SG-1 ended up with boots and pant cuffs completely caked in mud by the time they had gone the few yards from the 'gate to where the ring platform was hidden under the mud. No sooner had all four of them stepped inside the circle than it had detected their presence and activated. Seconds later, the rings deposited them beneath the ground, in one of the main tunnels of the Tok'ra base.

Sam motioned to a nearby Tok'ra passing, and he noticed them and hurried off. He returned a moment later with Anise/Freya, who was looking a little put out.

"Is something wrong?" Freya asked. "I don't understand why you have come here unannounced."

Daniel winced. "Sorry about that, but unfortunately we've got some bad news."

"The jaffa High Council has somehow learned of your position. In tandem with Nicolae Carpathia, they have planned an attack on this location in the near future. Possibly within the next few days," Teal'c informed her.

Freya stared at him. "Are you certain?"

Teal'c nodded solemnly. "As certain as we can be," Sam agreed.

Freya's mouth set into a firm line, and her head bowed for a brief second. When she raised it again, Anise spoke, her voice deeper and reverberating, indicating that she was the symbiote.

"I thank you for warning us. We will commence evacuation immediately," Anise said. She did not look happy at the news, but her thanks was genuine.

"That would be a good idea," Daniel nodded. "And we have a few hours before we're expected back on earth, if we can help in any way."

Her head nodded again. "Your help would be welcome," Freya told them. "If you will follow me, we must first alert the council."

Or what was left of it. Thanks to the final stretches of the war on the Goa'uld almost four years before, the numbers of the Tok'ra were still just as low as ever. The Tok'ra Council was much smaller today than it had been when SG-1 had first made contact with them even longer ago than that. Daniel just hoped that the number of the Tok'ra over all wouldn't be cut too severely by the coming war.

The Tok'ra were the strongest off-world believing allies that they had.

The council responded immediately to the news and indeed ordered immediate evacuation to the ships, showing much quicker deliberation than they had in the past. Things had changed much since the majority of them had become believers.

After that, time flew by. SG-1 unloaded the Bibles they had brought with them into an already half-full crate of them the Tok'ra had there that had not yet been hidden away in the stockpile and sent it up with other crates being loaded onto the several Al'kesh and Tel-tacs that the Tok'ra had. Fortunately they had just enough ship space to evacuate everyone in and bring enough of their supplies.

In three-and-a-half hours much was done, but it wasn't finished. Daniel trekked back to the surface with Sam to radio Stargate Command through the 'gate to check in and report that they needed more time to complete their mission before returning to Earth. General Landry granted them another four hours, and Daniel followed Sam back toward the ring transporter, sending up a prayer of thanks that the SGC had no way of detecting what planet an incoming wormhole was being sent from.

They hadn't quite slogged all the way back to the rings when a distinct, familiar roar sounded overhead. A blur of black streaked overhead, and Daniel jerked his eyes up to see a jaffa death glider breaking away from the surface and starting to circle back toward them.

Sam saw it too. She was grabbing his arm and pulling him the last few feet to the rings. "Oh bad bad bad bad BAD!" she chanted.

"You can say that again." They quickly ringed back down, and threaded their way through the rushing Tok'ra bodies carrying to supplies to the various ring sets to go up to the ships, looking for Anise. They found her issuing orders to a couple of others. After they ran off, she turned.

"We've got big trouble," Daniel informed her shortly.

"What is wrong?" Anise asked.

Before either of them could specify, the underground shelter shook around them with a resounding 'boom'.

"That!" Sam exclaimed. "They're here!"


	23. Teal'c

Okay, sorry things may have been a little boring lately. I'm working on that. Action now. Okay, so if you're reading and liking the story, 'please' do review. No offense or anything but it is a little hard to be motivated to write even the most fun stories if hardly anybody cares. Thanks to those of you that do review I hope you keep doing so; it helps so much. :)

And just a note: Please don't kill me! You'll know what I mean once you read this chapter...no, I did not enjoy writing it. But it's the Tribulation and, well, things have to happen, I'm afraid.

Chapter 23

Things moved much more quickly after that. The evacuation had been moving quickly before and had really been close to finished as far as packing and ringing up supplies and belongings, and after that first impact, it sped up considerably. The Tok'ra grabbed whatever else was still there that was absolutely needed, triggered the self-destruction of the tunnels, and started destroying the sets of rings behind them as the ships were filled.

All the while the ground under and around them shook every so often. This was just the preliminary bombing run by the gliders. They needed to get out before the ground troops came.

Finally, it was time for one last sweep of the remaining tunnels before high-tailing it. Anise sent Sam and Teal'c one way, and went with Daniel and Vala the other. They made sure no-one was left in the shaking tunnels and that nothing important had been left behind. Dust fell from the ceiling around them as they moved quickly through.

On the way they found a couple of abandoned crates of foodstuffs and picked them up, then hustled back toward the last intact set of rings. But just before the last bend, the underground shelter shook mightily. Vala shouted, Anise/Freya toppled, and Daniel felt something heavy slam into his back. He fell, dropping the crate he was carrying, and realized that it had been a section of the crystal tunnel wall.

But it landed on the lower part of his right leg before he could roll out of the way. He felt a definitive _crack_ somewhere in his calf.

Vala coughed and called to him after his pained shout. "Daniel? Daniel! Are you all right?"

"I'm alive," he grimaced. "Anise? Freya? Where are you?"

"Here," Freya called, and he saw a dark shape moving not far away, through the clearing dust. "We are fine."

Vala appeared next to him, looking a bit pale. "I'm fine too, but Daniel needs help." She tried lifting the slab of crystal herself, and he helped, but they couldn't get it up enough to push it off, and had to put it back down. And that didn't help the pain factor.

"Ah! OW! Okay…." he said shakily. "That's not working."

The tunnel shook again, and the slab of crystal shifted. Gritting his teeth, Daniel tried to move his leg then, but the slab didn't move enough and he only ended up crying out again and beating his fist against the stone floor to keep from screaming. He slumped back to the floor, gasping. Vala's hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"Take it easy, Daniel. We'll get you out."

Freya managed to make it to them then, and with her help the three of the were able to lift it enough that Daniel could slide his leg out. His face, however, was brilliantly contorted in pain by then.

"Hold on, Daniel, just rest a minute…"

Daniel rolled his eyes at Vala and pushed his way back to a sitting position. "Yeah, right, like we have time for that." The tunnel shook yet gain, and this time chunks fell from the ceiling.

"Not good," Vala commented.

"We must move, _now_," Freya agreed. She and Vala each took an arm and pulled Daniel up, draping one of his arms over their shoulders. He kept his lips clenched tightly shut then, not daring to open them when the women started moving, either. They could have supported him, but he kept as much footing as he could on the shaking ground with his one good leg and helped them.

They moved around the bend and saw Sam and Teal'c standing at the rings, waving them on.

"Is everyone on board the ships?" Anise asked once they got there.

"There's a couple more. They're coming," Sam answered, motioning down the opposite tunnel. Anise nodded, then Freya asked Carter and Teal'c to go back just down the tunnel for the crates they'd left. They were back in only a moment, and they were all about to pile onto the ring platform when the rings activated.

Vala and Freya stepped back, pulled Daniel with them, and in front of them Sam and Teal'c raised their P-90s--Teal'c with two of them--unable to be sure who was coming. Behind them, Daniel could see the glow of the tunnel they'd just come through destructing, melting away foot by foot. It was only a cross tunnel, and they were standing in the main one now, but it was another reminder that they didn't have much time.

Then the rings deposited a squad of four jaffa in front of them.

All four jaffa had their staff weapons open and aimed out, but with the two gunmen right in front of them, could not fire without the promise of being shot back at.

A standoff. That was all they needed right now.

Teal'c scowled at the one in front. "Gashar." Okay…so he knew the guy. This just got better and better.

Gashar smirked. "Shol'va."

His face did not change, but somehow Teal'c managed to look like he'd been slapped. Daniel could understand; none of his fellow jaffa had used that term to describe him since the Goa'uld regime had fallen.

"I am afraid that would be you, Gashar. You betray the one true God with your actions," Teal'c said smoothly.

"And you betray the High Council and Nicolae Carpathia himself by helping these intolerant scum!"

Teal'c lowered both of his weapons.

"What are you doing?" Sam hissed.

"It does not have to be this way, brothers. We do not have to be enemies. Join us on the side of the true God."

Gashar scowled. "I would rather die, Shol'va," he spat.

Teal'c looked solemn. Behind them, the last side tunnel closed up, nothing but rock again. All that was left was the wide main tunnel they were in now. "And you will die, if you do not accept that Jesus Christ is the only true Savior."

"Is that a threat?"

"It is merely the truth."

Gashar primed his staff weapon. "Out of my way, Shol'va," he growled.

Daniel exchanged worried glances with Sam and Vala. Teal'c wasn't moving. But if he did, the jaffa would probably kill all of them anyway. That was what they had come for. To kill the believers that lived here. And anyone else in their way.

Out of nowhere, two zat blasts took out the back two jaffa. The remaining Tok'ra had arrived. Sam opened fire, but Gashar ducked. Teal'c brought his weapons back up and took out the third jaffa with one, looking for the final enemy with the other.

Gashar was raising his staff weapon again from his position on the floor, and it was pointed straight at Carter.

"Sam, look out!" Daniel cried in alarm. He felt helpless.

Teal'c noticed. He pushed Sam out of the way and fired. Gashar dropped, but not before his staff blast slammed into Teal'c's chest.

"TEAL'C!" Vala screamed.

"NO!" Daniel shouted in tandem with Sam. That left them in the clear…but with a man down. Sam dropped to the ground beside their friend and checked for a pulse. All Daniel had to see was the sudden drop in her shoulders to know that there was nothing there. He heard a sob from her.

Vala's eyes were wide. "No. NononoNO!"

Daniel couldn't breathe._ Why God, why?_

The two Tok'ra who had assisted them approached slowly, apologizing for not being able to prevent it. Freya quietly told them to ring up. They moved the jaffa out of the way and went.

The tunnel shook again, more violently this time then ever before. Chunks of ceiling and wall fell down around them, and around the corner came the shine of the destructing tunnel. This time it really was the one they were in.

"We must go!" Freya called urgently.

"Help me get Teal'c in the rings; we can't leave him here," Sam swallowed quietly.

The tunnel shook. "There is not enough time. The tunnel will close up with us in it," Anise said, intervening. The tunnel didn't stop shaking.

"I'm not leaving without him," Sam replied firmly.

"We do not have time for this!"

"We are NOT leaving him behind!" Daniel shouted fiercely. He hadn't thought he could breathe, much less speak, but it was a point he would not take a 'no' to.

Anise sighed, and Freya was in control again. "I am sorry…"

"It's okay," Sam choked. "Just help me." Freya nodded and helped Vala get Daniel into the rings, then left her to support him while she helped Sam pull Teal'c in.

Vala hadn't taken part in the argument. She was crying too hard. Daniel swallowed back the lump in his throat and tightened his grip on her shoulders, not knowing what else to do.

They ringed up just before the tunnel around them self-destructed, melting away.

* * *

"AH!" Daniel jerked, his head banging back into the wall behind him. He had to bite the inside of his mouth hard to keep from letting loose with a few words he knew he really shouldn't.

Sam grimaced. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

It took a moment or so before he responded. "Okay…it's okay. It had to be done, just…get the splint on it."

She nodded wordlessly and continued. Something in his leg had snapped all right. He couldn't tell himself--not without an x-ray to show him, and they didn't have that sitting on a Tok'ra Al'kesh--but according to Sam, the smaller of the bones in his calf had broken clean in two. At least it _was_ a clean break.

That was about the only good thing right now.

Sam finished tying a thin board broken off of one of the smaller crate to his leg, then started re-packing the med kit. Daniel heard her sniffling and swallowing as she went. "Sam?"

"What?" she asked without looking up, tone tight.

Daniel swallowed himself. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," she answered flatly.

"Yeah…all of us _will_ be fine, but that has nothing to do with right now."

"Daniel, don't--"

"Sam--"

"Look, I am _not_ fine, okay!" Until they could be dropped off at the nearest planet with a stargate--which was a couple of hours away at hyperspeed--they were camped out in the front with Vala, Anise/Freya, and the Tok'ra that was flying the ship, and at that second he was glad of it. If they'd been in the back with everyone else, everyone else would be staring at them right now. As it was, Freya stiffened a bit but didn't turn to look at them, and Vala flinched from her seat on a floor several feet away.

Sam swallowed and her head dropped. "I'm sorry, I just..."

"It's okay," Daniel gulped. Tears were stinging his eyes again. "I'm sorry."

She closed the now-repacked med kit aside and sat back against the wall next to him, squeezing his arm briefly to let him know she accepted the apology.

"It's just…how are we supposed to be fine?" she questioned softly. "We barely made it through the first time something like this happened, back when you--" She stopped there, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye and wincing.

Daniel grimaced with her. "I know…" Gently he put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. A moment later Vala sidled up to them on his other side.

"We've got to be strong, you guys. He would want us to, right?" she choked.

Sam nodded a bit. Daniel agreed silently. Vala sighed and leaned on his other shoulder some.

"Well…for your sake and his…I hope he is where you think he is," she added quietly. Daniel knew he was, and knew Sam knew he was. Teal'c was in Heaven. It didn't matter that he wasn't human. It didn't matter that he had served false gods for most of his life. It didn't matter that in that service he had been forced to kill too many to count. He had repented, he had asked for forgiveness, and he had been saved. And they would see him again in no more that five-and-a-half years.

But somehow that didn't make it as easy as Daniel had thought it would to deal with the fact that he was gone now.

With nothing else to say just yet, what was left of SG-1 sat where they were, together, on their way home.

* * *

"What will you tell General Landry?" Freya asked. She was standing in the ring room of the Al'kesh they were on. The ship had taken some damage from random shots fired by the jaffa ships that had hit the cloaked Tok'ra ships during the escape from orbit around the Tok'ra's previous homeworld, but most everything was still in working order. SG-1 would ring down to this planet and 'gate back home.

But that was the easy part.

"Probably the truth," Sam sighed. "To protect both us and you, not all of it, but…I suppose we have to tell him we got a tip that you were going to be attacked and went to help, and…"

"He won't be happy we didn't tell him first," Daniel observed. He was already standing in the rings next to Vala, leaning on a makeshift crutch fashioned from wood from one of the crates just as his splint was. A blanket-covered stretcher was also sitting there. Daniel would need to be able to get through the 'gate on his own, because Sam and Vala would need to carry it

"He's not going to be very happy anyway," Vala deadpanned.

"I am sorry for your loss," Freya said quietly. "As is Anise. And all of us. We will pray that you are given peace."

Sam gulped back the lump in her throat and blinked away the tears again. "Thanks…"

"What about you?" Daniel asked of the Tok'ra. "Where will you go?"

"We have a secondary shelter in a position that has not been compromised," she assured them. Silently she handed Carter a slip of paper. Sam glanced at it; it held an unfamiliar 'gate address written on it. She slipped in into her pocket.

Freya nodded, and when her head came back up Anise spoke. "Then we will wish you farewell now. I believe the deadline given to you by the general approaches."

"Right…" Sam stepped back into the circle of the ring transporter. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. We will also pray for safety. If the warring has not already begun on your world, unfortunately it will soon."

She saw Daniel nod out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah, we know," she sighed. "Thanks again. We'll…see you later."

Anise nodded, and Freya spoke. "Goodbye." She pressed the wall controls, and the rings activated. A moment later they were in another forest, this one not muddy at all. The stargate was only a few feet away.

Time to go.

Daniel hobbled over to the DHD and started dialing, while Sam helped Vala pick up the stretcher. The wormhole burst open, and when it had settled, Daniel sent the iris code, and they went through.

The scene that greeted them on the other side wasn't at all usual.

The red alert lights were on, but there were no alarms. As they stepped off the bottom of the ramp, General Landry walked into the 'gate room hurriedly from the corridor.

"What happened?" he demanded. "Were you attacked, too?"

Sam blinked. "_Too_, sir?"

"We've gotten distress calls from _five_ planets in the last four hours. The jaffa are attacking settlements seemingly at random." The reason for the lighting, probably.

She and Daniel looked at each other. "Yes sir, the planet we were on was attacked, too." _Thank you, Lord._ They would have to come up with exactly what to put in the official report, but for now, that was all Landry needed.

The general huffed in annoyance…and then seemed to finally notice the stretcher she and Vala had just set down.

"What is…? Oh god is that--?"

"Yes sir," Sam answered quietly.

Landry swallowed hard, just as Carolyn Lam and a small medical team bolted in. "Sir, you said we might be need--oh no." Lam stopped dead for a second just short of them for a moment, scanning who was there and extrapolating who it was on the blanket. "Oh no…" she said again. Then she gulped too, and was all business again, her training showing through. She made a beeline for Daniel.

"Broken?" she asked, nodding to the splinted leg. He confirmed, and Carolyn had him sit down on the end of the ramp so she could check him over.

"That's not all," Landry said finally.

"What else?" Daniel asked miserably

"Obviously it's not connected, but there are attacks happening here on earth too. I'm afraid it's almost World War Three out there," he reported solemnly. If only he knew that all the attacks really _were_ connected. By Carpathia.

Sam crossed her arms. "What? What's happening?"

"It's hard to explain. There's nothing around here, but for starters Washington D.C., a lot of New York City, a big part of a suburb outside Chicago, and Heathrow airport in London are gone," Landry sighed. "And it's not over. Attacks are being threatened on other major cities. It could take a while to explain the details."

"Gone?" Vala questioned incredulously.

"Bombed. Obliterated. Gone. The president is dead, but Potentate Carpathia has been confirmed alive and safe."

Landry seemed pretty much _happy_ about that? That the president was gone, but Carpathia was all right? Sam had to resist snorting in disgust. Not that it would hurt the U.S. much, the president being dead. By now he hadn't been much more than a puppet. He'd even been removed from the White House. He was really nothing more than a figurehead. A mascot. Carpathia and his minions were in charge.

And Sam had a feeling that this war was only going to give the Antichrist more power. The peace was over.

"Great…" Daniel muttered.


	24. 2nd, 3rd, & 4th

Things should go faster from now on. I know the first year-and-a-half when pretty darn slowly, and I'm sorry, but now it'll pick up. Thanks for all of your reviews; you help so much and I hope I keep hearing from ya. You're all so encouraging. I hope you like this chapter. :) enjoy

Note: General Landry's explanation of the war on earth is almost word-for-word from a radio news report toward the end of the second Left Behind book, "Tribulation Force".

Chapter 24

"East coast militia launched the attack on Washington with help from United Sates Britain and the part of the Middle Eastern Commonwealth that was Egypt. Global Community Peacekeeping forces retaliated by destroying an old Nike base in suburban Chicago that they knew was controlled by them. Unfortunately, it also caused hundreds, maybe thousands of civilian casualties in surrounding suburbs, and the traffic is a nightmare now," Landry began in explanation of the situation on Earth.

The general was standing in the infirmary with them, where Daniel was on a bed with his leg stretched out, waiting for the brief and de-brief to be over with so it could be casted. All three of them were being patched up; they all had numerous cuts and bruises from the shaking around and falling debris in the tunnels. Sam and Vala were each sitting on the edge of a bed, on either side of the one he was lying on. General Landry was standing in-between his and Vala's.

Daniel's inner alarms went off. "Suburban Chicago?" That was where most of the Trib Force had lived, and Bruce was still there. He should have recently gotten back from another of his oversees trips, and the rest of the Trib Force was supposed to be meeting in Mount Prospect that day--the suburb the Steeles had lived in. Worriedly he sent up a prayer that they were all right. He exchanged glances with Sam and could tell she was also think of Rayford, Buck, Chloe, Bruce, and Amanda.

"Then what?" Sam questioned.

"Uhm…Egyptian ground troops advanced toward Iraq, probably intent on taking New Babylon. GC air forces took care of them, then moved on to England. It was discovered that unauthorized Egyptian and British air forces were marshalling at Heathrow, and…" The general trailed off there, obviously uncomfortable with whatever news came next.

Vala frowned. "What?"

He sighed. "They dropped a one-hundred megaton nuclear bomb on the airport."  
Sam gasped. Vala blinked in surprise, though she couldn't know just exactly what that meant.

Daniel swallowed. "But the fallout will kill thousands of innocent civilians in the surrounding areas." And he knew what that was like. He wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy.

Landry didn't look particularly happy. "I know."

"What about New York?" Sam asked quietly.

The general shook his head. 'That's hard to say. For several hours 'nuclear war was being threatened' on the city. Then it was bombed. It's hard to say who did it. Supposedly it was the militia, but I'm not so sure."

The militia of various countries had been against Carpathia from the start, and Daniel wouldn't have put it past them to bomb Washington _and _New York. But if even General Landry wasn't sure who it had been when he already knew for sure it was them in Washington…well, that pointed straight to Carpathia in Daniel's book. Bra'tac _had_ said that Carpathia was planning attacks on Earth as well

"And they're still threatening attacks on other major cities--" he stopped and looked toward the doors when they opened. Jack O'Neill hurried in, Cassandra Fraiser on his heels.

"I got a call that you guys got caught in an attack offworld. I picked up Cassie the way and got here as quick as I could. Are you guys okay?"

Everyone froze. Suddenly no-one was looking at Jack or Cassie. Daniel found himself staring down at his hands.

"What?" O'Neill questioned.

"Where's Teal'c?" Cassie asked tightly, voice full of dread. It was almost as if she already knew something.

Daniel picked his head up part of the way, but heard Sam start first. "Uhm…Teal'c...uh, he…he uh--" She stopped there and cleared her throat hard. It sounded like it was closing up again. Daniel turned his head more toward the newcomers, but couldn't quite look at them.

"He didn't make it," he finished quietly. He forced himself to look up. Jack was staring at him.

"What? You're kidding?"

Sam shook her head. "No sir," she choked. He couldn't see what Vala looked like. She was behind him.

Jack's face fell. "No…aw….no…" Grimacing in pain, he lowered into the empty chair that sat next to the bed. His breathing grew heavy, as if trying to control something, and his forehead went into one hand.

Cassie's hands went to her mouth and she broke into tears. Sam stood from the bed she was sitting on and went to embrace her. Jack stayed like he was for a few moments before speaking without looking up.

"What happened?" he whispered hoarsely.

Surprisingly, it was Vala who answered. "Staff blast to the chest…he didn't suffer." Daniel glanced at her, but she was already staring at her lap again.

"He saved my life," Sam added softly.

"Gah….Teal'c…" O'Neill shook his head and pounded the arm of the chair. "For cryin out loud; always had to be such a hero…" He wasn't angry, Daniel knew. But it was his way of dealing with pain. And they all had to deal with it together.

* * *

The door opened quickly, but Simon stopped short when he saw that it was her. "Samantha. Hello….I wasn't expecting you."

She nodded weakly. "I know, and I'm sorry…but there's something you needed to know, and I wasn't comfortable telling you over the phone…."

It was the day after they had returned from helping the Tok'ra evacuate. The day after losing Teal'c. And the war on earth was still raging. Several more major cities had since been decimated, and it was hard to say by whom even though the Global Community pointed fingers at the militia.

Simon nodded and welcomed her into his office at the church. "Come on in, then. Is something wrong? You look upset. Of course, I can understand that with the war…but is there something else?" He looked extremely concerned, and somehow even that was comforting. He offered her a chair, but she shook her head politely. She didn't feel like sitting. Not now.

She swallowed. "There uh…there is."

"What is it?"

"It's uh, Murray. There was an…accident at the base, and uhm, he was…killed," she told him, finally getting it all out.

"Oh no," he said, brow furrowing. "Oh, Samantha, I'm so sorry…" He fell silent for a moment. "But we know where he is," he said quietly.

Sam nodded. "I know. And that definitely helps, compared to how I'd be feeling if I weren't a believer, but…five-and-a-half years, Simon. We won't see him until then, unless we die too. He's gone until then."

Simon nodded solemnly. "I know. I'll miss him too. He was a good man, Sam, and a wonderful member of this church."

She looked at him. "You just called me Sam."

He blinked. "I did? I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right…it's just that you haven't done that since the day I met you. I told you to, you did it once, and then you stopped doing it."

He shook his head slowly. "It's just…I was…I didn't…"

"Nevermind," she sighed. "It's okay. I really would rather you call me Sam."

He just nodded, and stared at his feet for a moment before speaking again. "Uhm…do you need to arrange anything for…?"

Sam shook her head. "No. There will be a memorial service at the base, and...we know where he wants to be buried." On Chulak. With his wife. Where his son Riak and his family lived now that the Goa'uld no longer ruled there.

Simon nodded. "Oh…I really am sorry, Saman--Sam.

"I know…thank you," she answered quietly. But for some reason her throat was clogging up again.

"Sam…?"

She didn't hear him. She'd started to tell Jack, but hadn't finished. She'd been upset when it had happened, but that was more shock than anything. She'd been quiet since then, but all of them had. But now she'd told Simon that Teal'c had been killed. He was gone. He was dead.

"Samantha?"

She started to cry, right where she was standing. She didn't remember that Simon was still there until he pulled her into his arm.

"It'll be all right, Samantha," he said softly.

And he was right. It would be. But right now she didn't feel all right.

* * *

For Daniel it didn't sink in until after the memorial service several days later. Sam had been the one to speak at Janet's, and Daniel didn't want her to have to go through that again. So the job fell to him. Strangely enough, it had been Teal'c who had actually written what Sam had said then. Daniel had no such help now, and it was hard to decide just what to say about him. So much _could_ be said.

In the end, he ended up barely making it through. When the ceremony was over, he hurried out of the 'gate room as fast as he could on his crutches, with Sam and Vala on his heels. Vaguely he remembered hearing quiet compliments on what he'd said. That it befit Teal'c. That they were sorry about happened to him. That they'd miss him too. Daniel didn't even remember what he'd said. He'd been trying too hard not to think about what he was doing. To not think about what he was doing meant.

But by now, he was fighting tears. He managed to bite them back then, but the day after that he wasn't so lucky. He, Sam, Vala, Jack, and Cassie had to clean out Teal'c's room that day, having opted to do it themselves because they couldn't bear for anyone else to do it.

Daniel was the last one to get to the door. None of the others had gone in yet. They went in together. He walked into that room, thinking he could handle it. He thought he'd gotten the grief out the day before, at the service. Maybe he hadn't exactly cried or anything. But he'd felt it. Plenty of it.

But then he walked into Teal'c's room, and saw his friend's Bible--one Jack had bought for him the day after he'd accepted Christ, before O'neill had gone back to Washington--still open on the desk where Teal'c had left it before they'd headed out that morning over a week ago. He realized he would never see Teal'c sitting there reading it again, drawing deep conclusions he and Sam and the others didn't even see. They were all getting more adept in their studies all the time, but because of his background and his mind Teal'c had always been leaps and bound ahead of them there, in understanding difficult texts. He knew his friend was safe and that they _would_ meet again. But he had spent so much of his life not knowing such a thing, had lost so many people…that it still hurt. A lot.

Jack and Vala were the ones to catch him when his knees went weak, and they guided him over to the bed and sat him down--or at least that was where he found himself and that was who was on either side of him when the tears stopped.

"Are you all right?" Vala asked with concern.

He sighed. "I will be."

Sam and Cassie weren't far off. While Jack was patting him on the back, Sam was putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I think we should pray," Cassie said quietly. With the war, and Teal'c, and…everything, the Bible study group had postponed meetings for the time being. And they hadn't had much time to do it together as a core group either. Or maybe they hadn't 'made' time. What had happened had jarred all of them. Daniel started nodding with Sam. Vala didn't look like she liked the idea.

"Yeah…I think we should. Right now," Jack agreed. He looked at Vala. "You don't have to stay."

"And if you do, you don't have to participate," Daniel added.

She shrugged. "I'll just sit here," she mumbled, crossing her arms nonchalantly. "We still have a job to do when you get done with that."

Daniel looked at Jack, who shrugged back. "Right. Ah…Daniel, I know at bible study with the big group and everything you're usually in charge but do you mind if I…?"

"No, go ahead."

Sam and Cassie sat on the end of the bed next to them, and he and Jack turned and all four joined hands out of what was now habit. They closed their eyes, and Jack took a deep breath.

"Lord, I know we haven't been coming to you like we should have been this past week or so, and we're sorry for that. Things have been so crazy around here since the war started, and we were so upset about Teal'c that we forgot about you. We forgot that if we ask you, you'll give us peace, and help us deal with the grief and remember that we should be happy too, because we know that he's okay and we'll see him when this is all over. Please just help us to remember that, and use this to make us stronger in our relationship with you…so that we can do more for you. Thank you again for saving us, 'cause I know _I_ sure didn't deserve it. In Jesus's name we pray, Amen."

After that, Sam, Daniel, and Cassie also prayed shortly, and when Cassie was finished their hands unclasped and their eyes opened. Daniel saw that Vala was still sitting in the same position, staring at the bedspread, arms still crossed. When she heard them move her arms dropped and she looked their way.

"Done?"

They started to stand, and Daniel nodded. It wasn't all gone, because he was human. He would still miss his friend, as well as anyone else who died before the Tribulation was over. But he felt a lot better than he had a few minutes ago. "Come on…we've got something to do."

* * *

Jack went back to Daniel's house earlier than Daniel did that day, and Sara was waiting for him. She was at the door, and he stepped inside into her arms.

"How did it go?" she asked, hugging him tightly.

He sighed, still returning the embrace. "Lot of crying and praying and hugging and reminiscing. But hey, five-and-a-half years is the longest we'll have to go without him," he swallowed.

"Murray was a good guy, Jack. A little different, maybe, but good. A strong believer," Sara assured him, pulling back to look at him. "Maybe I didn't know him nearly as well as you, but I'll look forward to seeing him again too."

Jack smiled weakly. If only she knew how accurate the first of those two statements had been. She didn't know his real name. "Yeah. And look, I'm sorry you couldn't be at the memorial service yesterday, but they've got pretty tight rules at the base…"

She raised an eyebrow. "To keep people away from all that deep space radar telemetry. Uh huh."

He looked back at her. "What?"

"Jack, I'm not stupid," she smiled back in amusement. "I don't know what it is you're doing down there, but that's not it. Or not all of it. But you were black ops for most of our first marriage, so I'm used to the fact that you can't tell me anything, and that's all right. You'll tell me everything in all that time we have during the Millennial Kingdom, won't you?"

So she knew there was something more to all of it. Then again she'd always been smart. And she was right; he _had_ been in black ops for a while, and she knew how to not ask questions and make things easier for both of them. Another reason he loved her so much.

Jack smiled back. "Sure. But I'll warn you that there's a heck of a lot to tell."

"And like I said, there'll be plenty of time. A thousand years. And after that, there's heaven for eternity."

He nodded in agreement, then glanced up. "Gavin sleeping?"

"Shh. Yes, so be quiet."

The call didn't come and ruin his mood until a couple of hours later that evening. It was baker, reporting that Carpathia had ordered the Homeworld Security Offices to move to New Babylon. It wasn't optional, and that meant another move for Sara. Maybe it was the most up-to-date city in a world where disease, famine, and death were ruling in the wake of a world war that was winding down, but it was also the same city in which the Antichrist lived.

Not exactly something you could put on a brochure.

Sara wasn't entirely happy either, but she understood the futility of trying to persuade Carpathia to do anything else. Once his mind was made up, it was made up. Jack wandered into the living room, and used Daniel's computer to check his e-mail.

Finally! An e-mail from Rayford on the status of the Trib Force over there. Jack opened it anxiously and read quickly, but his heart sank when he got to the end.

Oh no.

Swallowing, he gave the report to Sara, and waited for Daniel to get home.

Daniel returned from the SGC not long after, having been dropped off by Carter. Obviously he couldn't drive with a cast on his right leg up just past his knee. Jack opened the front door for him, and closed it behind him.

"Thanks." He hobbled into the living room and lowered himself onto the couch. When he looked up again he frowned. "What's wrong, Jack?"

He sat down on the arm of the couch. "I heard from Ray."

Daniel sat up straighter. "Are they okay?"

"Ah, well, he and Buck are fine. Chloe got in a car accident in all the excitement when the bombs in Chicago went off, got beat up kinda bad, but she'll be okay."

"What about Bruce?" Daniel frowned.

This was where it got hard. Jack gulped. "Uhm…he came from Indonesia with some kind of bug…got put in the hospital and slipped into a coma, but…" He sighed heavily, "That hospital was right across the street from the Nike base the GC blew up."

Daniel stared at him for a moment, unblinking, before his eyes slipped closed in pained understanding. "He didn't make it," he said quietly.

"Yeah…they don't know if the bomb did it, or if what he had did it beforehand," he winced. It may have sounded horrible, but Jack himself kind of hoped that he'd died in the coma from whatever disease he'd come back with. He wouldn't have wanted him to suffer any more. Or been awake when the bomb hit.

Daniel sat back and pressed the heels of both hands into his eyes. His chest was heaving a little more than it would be just to breathe. Jack knew he was upset. Bruce had been a mentor to Daniel. He had been a mentor to thousand…maybe even millions around the globe in his travels. He would be sorely missed.

Not by Carpathia though. Carpathia would probably be dancing a jig when he heard. Jack suddenly felt an entirely irrational--or maybe perfectly sensible--urge to deck the man.

When Daniel composed himself, Jack grimaced. "And…unfortunately, that's not all the undesirable news."

Daniel stared at him. "Now what?" he asked weakly.

"Uhm…we have to move to new Babylon next week," he answered, pointing to himself and back toward the room where Sara and Gavin were.

He sat forward. "What? Why?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I'd already heard from the horse's mouth that he was going to move Homeworld Security headquarters there eventually, but with Washington wiped out he has the perfect excuse to do it even faster."

"Don't you have a choice?"

"If I did, do you think we'd be going? The _Antichrist _lives there."

Daniel sighed. "So you have to go."

"Bingo."

"Next week?"

"Yep. Hey, on the bright side, we'll be a lot closer to Israel. Maybe I can swing by and see the two witnesses at the wailing wall some time."

The mention of Eli and Moishe, the prophesied prophets of the Lord during the first half of the Tribulation that had already led so many to Christ and were continuing to do so, brought a bit of a smile from Daniel. "Yeah. Maybe. Bring back souvenirs."

"You bet."

Jack thought back on the last week.

Teal'c had said that Ka'lel and Bra'tac would warn as many of the other worlds that were under threat of attack from the jaffa army as they could, but even so, Jack knew from reports earth had heard that several settlements of human and small groups of jaffa believers had been wiped out completely, and others had heavy casualties. Of course, it didn't say in the reports that those villages and cities were full of mostly believers. Landry didn't know that was why they had been attacked. As far as everyone on earth who was not a Christian knew, the jaffa had done it all seemingly at random.

Carpathia had already announced to those who could know that at some time next week he would travel to Dakara to 'speak with' the jaffa High Council. He would probably be congratulating them on their success. No one else knew that Carpathia had been the one to authorize and help plan the attacks.

The galaxy was on the mend.

The second Horseman of the Apocalypse had come and gone. The third and forth, the black and pale horses, were on the gallop, raking the face of the universe with famine and disease in the wake of the wars.

By the time these two judegements were over, a fourth of the population left after the rapture would be dead.


	25. Surprise, Surprise

Wow! So sorry guys! All last week I was a camp counselor for church day camp and I had _no_ time, and right after that until earlier today I was at a friend's house. I haven't had any time to type for like, almost two weeks until today. But I got this written, finally, so here it is. The next three weeks are absolutely empty though. So I'm happy. Please review and let me know what ya think so i know you're still here, lol. Excuse me for being paranoid chuckle Anyway, I hope you're all have a great summer!

Chapter 25

Cassie was just finishing jotting down her thoughts on a short passage in Isaiah when there was a knock on her bedroom door—which was what had once been the spare room in Sam's house.

"Come in," she called, looking up from her desk.

Sam looked in. "Hey." Cassie beckoned her inside, and she came, but she didn't sit down.

"What's up, Sam?" she asked curiously.

Her friend's arms were crossed. "Well…I need to talk to you about something."

Cassie frowned. "Okay…is something wrong?"

Sam shook her head. "Oh, no, nothing's wrong—except for the fact that Daniel's going to be out of commission for a few months with that broken leg. That leaves SG-1 with only two able-bodied members for a while. Vala and I can't go out by ourselves."

"And you need more people."

"At least one more, yeah. Basically."

Ah ok. So that was where this was going.

"And you want to know if I'm interested."

Sam nodded and sat down finally, on the edge of the bed. "Pretty much. I've already talked to Vala and Daniel and even Jack, and they all think it's a good idea. I think you'd make a great addition to the team. For a while. I mean, once Daniel's back on his feet you'd be welcome to stay, but you wouldn't have to. And of course, you don't _have_ to do it at all if you don't want to."

Cassie looked at her for a moment. She thought about the children she took care of every weekday. Especially in the current world, she had to be extremely careful. She couldn't witness directly to them at the daycare center, but she could invite them and their parents to church. She had seen several of the children, and some of their parents too, accept Christ that way.

She loved her job. She loved the kids, and loved the opportunities to spread the news of Jesus how she could. She had always fantasized about being part of SG-1, since they had rescued her as a girl. But would she give up what she was doing now for that?

"Can I have some time to think about it?" she asked finally.

Sam nodded. "Of course. SG-1 will be on stand-down for another week." It had already been two weeks since…

Tomorrow Jack, Sara, and Gavin were leaving for New Babylon.

"So I have until then to deicide?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Cassie chewed on her lip. "Okay…thanks for asking. I'll let you know."

Sam smiled and stood. "Great. I'll let you continue what you were doing now." She left, and Cassie sat back in her chair and sighed.

What she needed to do now was pray. She knew her job was to witness for Christ. But it would all depend on whether he wanted her to do it on Earth…or out there.

* * *

"Well, we'll write a lot…and call and stuff…" Jack assured his friends awkwardly. They were all gathered at the airport to see him and his family off. It had been bad enough being in Washington, but now with the world hurdling into the remainder of the judgments of the Tribulation, and going so far…there was no guarantee that any of them would see each other again before the Glorious Appearing. 

That was what made this harder.

"You'd better," Daniel said as he surrendered Gavin. Sara took the baby from him as a final round of hugs started.

"Take care of yourselves," Carter ordered. She was standing beside Simon; he was here too. Jack wondered what was going on there, if anything.

"We'll do our best," Sara agreed.

"Yeah…at least Carpathia doesn't know we're Christian. The same can't be said for Rayford. We all need to keep the Trib Force in our prayers," Jack added.

"Along with you guys, of course we will," Cassie smiled weakly. "We'll miss you."

Jack sighed and pulled her too him. "Just hang in there, Cas. I know all of this hard." The war, the death following in its wake…Teal'c, their leaving….She hugged back hard. That was all right with him. Since they'd found her twelve years ago, she'd been almost the daughter he'd never had. Hey, he'd even given her her first dog. She was about the same age Charlie would be if…

But there was no reason to think about that. He would see Charlie at the Glorious Appearing. Or in heaven, if he ended up there before then.

"As soon as we can check on them we'll let you know how the Tok'ra are doing," Carter said.

Jack nodded as he let go of Cassie and then glanced from Carter to Daniel and his bum leg. "And _you_ keep me posted on the progress you're making with that," he said, motioning to the cast.

Daniel smirked and shifted on his crutches. "Yeah."

"I wish you the best—or the best that can be in this day's world," Simon smiled.

"Thank you; we'll keep in touch," Sara assured him.

That was when Gavin started crying—and the final call for their flight came over the speakers. Sara patted the baby on the back until he stopped sniffling, then put him back in his carrier and Jack picked it up.

"Well, that's us," he said.

"Really, Jack, Sara, be careful," Daniel reiterated in all seriousness.

"Count on it."

* * *

Jack dropped his bag from the flight on the bedroom floor. Sara did the same and came to stand next to him, holding Gavin on her hip as she surveyed the pre-furnished condominium that had been supplied for them by the Global Community. It was in a three-story building in the outskirts of the city of New Babylon, less than a mile from the offices of the Department of Homeworld Security. Yet even from this far out, they could easily see the center of the new capital of the world, with its monstrous GC building at its center—Carpathia's headquarters. It was visible through the bank of windows in the living room. 

The condominium was twice the size of their apartment in Washington D.C., and the furniture was nicer as well. The only things that marred the sight were the stacks of boxes in almost every room. Thankfully, their apartment had not been too close to the center of the U.S. capital either, and had been spared too much damage. While they were still in Colorado, their things had been packed and moved for them.

"Well…it's certainly nicer than our apartment in Washington," Sara commented, trying to lift the mood that had dropped over her husband and stayed there since the plane had taken off from Colorado.

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But it's nowhere near our friends—and way too near to _him_."

Sara edged over to where he now stood near the living room windows and wrapped her free arm around him. "I know how you feel, Jack. But we pulled through in Washington, and we'll be all right here. We don't even know how long we'll _be_ here. We just have to—"

"Trust in the Lord; I know," he interrupted, returning her half hug and holding it. "But that's not always the easiest thing to do."

"I know," she answered as he looked at her. She smiled slyly. "But that's why you have me to keep you in line."

"Good point." He kissed her, but after only a moment, Gavin made a sound that seemed like an 'ooo'".

Jack pulled back and chuckled at him. "You want one too?" he didn't wait for an answer before taking the baby from Sara's arms and attacking him with cheek kisses. Sara laughed and joined in.

* * *

In the end, Cassie agreed to join SG-1 at least until Daniel was able-bodied again. She would make no further commitment, but informed Sam that she felt it was what God wanted her to do for now. Sam was happy about that. She would have survived if she couldn't go off-world until Daniel was healed, but she felt much better knowing that she, Vala, Cassie would be getting out there. 

Sam was already restless by the time their first scheduled mission came up about a week after the O'Neills had left. After everything that had happened….she would be all right, but she wanted nothing more than to get back out on the field and forget about a lot of it, anyway.

It was only a simple recon, and they didn't dare go anywhere else the first time out after the war, but it helped. Cassie handled well, and managed to enjoy herself being off world for the first time since she'd come to Earth when she was twelve.

On Earth, things got worse. Carpathia gave the illusion that it was better, that rebuilding of the places damaged after the war was moving forward well…but it wasn't. The potentate told everyone that as the world moved toward a more unified society, he was being tolerant of all views and religions, etc, etc…but he wasn't. Popular international news included the fact that Rabbi Tsion Ben-Judah's family—his wife and two teenage children—had been murdered in the street. Supposedly no-one knew exactly who had done it, but the Trib Forces knew.

According to news from the Tribulation Force in the east, Buck had smuggled the Rabbi—who was now a good friend of his—out of Israel and brought him to the states. Apparently they had him holed up somewhere safe near them, and the Rabbi was now the official new spiritual leader of their group. But Buck and Tsion had barely made it out of Israel alive. GC peacekeeping forces had been chasing them all the way.

That wasn't all, either. More believers around the globe were being murdered for their faith. The fifth seal judgment was beginning. The martyrs. And it would continue until the end.

They waited until their third time out to check on the Tok'ra. Sam, as well as Daniel, Cassie, and Jack, had memorized the new address before she'd destroyed the piece of paper it had been given to her on. Sam punched in the symbols on the DHD of a randomly chosen planet. They'd already been through three other 'gates from the planet their mission was on. They had to take precautions—now even more than ever. They couldn't let anyone they couldn't trust know they were believers, or that they were in regular contact with the Christian Tok'ra.

The address they had took them to a desert-like world similar to the one where SG-1 had first encountered the Tok'ra. Except here the rings were easier to find, thank goodness. They were hidden in a stand of high desert grass next to the 'gate, but they weren't buried in the sand—at least not completely. They couldn't see far past the 'gate though. A rise of sand obscured the view.

The three women ringed down, and immediately several Tok'ra guarding the platform in the new underground shelter turned their zats on them. They lowered them when they saw who was there. One of them broke off and came back a moment later with Anise/Freya.

"Colonel Carter," Freya smiled. "It is good to see you. Are you well?"

Sam sighed and nodded minutely. "We're okay. Daniel's leg will take a little while to heal, and…other things…but we'll be all right."

The Tok'ra nodded in understanding. "Again, I am sorry. And who is this?" she asked, noticing Cassie.

"This is Cassandra Fraiser. Or Cassie. She's a believer, a friend of ours. She's helping us out until Daniel is back on his feet."

Freya nodded to the young woman, and when her head came back up Anise spoke. "Then it is a pleasure to meet you, sister."

"It's good to meet you too," Cassie smiled back.

"Yes yes, can we dispense with the niceties and get on with it? They're fine; let's go," Vala said impatiently.

Sam glared at her briefly. "Would you be patient? We haven't even _asked_ if they're all right yet."

Freya returned, smiling slightly in amusement. "No, but she is correct. We are doing well. Though we _do_ have many more to house than we originally planned."

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked curiously.

"Follow me." With that, Freya led them through the Tok'ra tunnels to the other side of the compound, and another set of rings. She herded them all on, and they were transported to the surface again.

Here, as well, sand rises blocked the far view, but here they were surrounded on all sides. It was a valley. That, however, was not what was so remarkable about the sight before them.

What made it more interesting was the sprawling tent city that sat in the valley.

Sam felt her mouth drop open.

"What the—" Vala exclaimed from behind her.

Cassie stared, wide-eyed. Sam was feeling an acute sense of déjà vu; she was certain she knew where she'd seen the style of many of these tent, but it didn't make much sense for them to be here. Several homespun-robe and simple white shift-wearing individuals went about their way. "How…?"

"They arrived here only hours after we did," was the only explanation Freya gave.

It was then that another brown robed, dreadlocked figure ducked out of a tent and caught sight of them. Immediately the young man grinned and waved, before loping toward them.

"Samantha Carter, it is good to see you again," he said smilingly when he reached them. "And you as well, Cassandra."

"Skaara. Wow. This is…I mean, it's nice to see you too, but this is definitely a surprise…" Sam stammered in confusion.

The young Abydonian sighed. "Yes, I am sorry for that, but I am also afraid that it is a complicated story. The simplest way to explain why we are here—"

"Who _is_ 'we', exactly?"

"And who is he?" Vala butted in.

"Daniel's brother-in-law," Sam answered over her shoulder.

"His _what_? Oh…" Vala looked at Skaara. "Was Sha're your sister?"

Vala knew about Sha're? Nevermind. It was Daniel's business to tell her if he wanted to. Sam just hadn't known he had.

Skaara nodded. "Yes. She was my sister. Where _is_ Danyer?"

"Healing," Sam winced. She explained briefly, making sure she mentioned more than once that he would be fine, though of course that didn't keep Skaara from being concerned. After that, he wanted to know who the other woman with them was.

"Sorry, uhm, this is Vala MalDoran. She was the newest member of SG-1 before Cassie started helping us out, though the story of how that came about is pretty long and…"

"Do not worry, Samantha, I know. It is difficult to remember all of the things I learned from watching my friends while I was still ascended, as I am limited again to a human mind, but I do remember enough. I knew I had seen you before, Miss MalDoran, but I could not place you at first."

Vala shrugged. "It's all right. Nice to meet you too."

Skaara smiled politely and nodded, while Sam tried to get back to the original subject. "Yes, Skaara, about the fact that you're apparently no longer ascended…and who that 'we' is?"

"Oh! Yes, excuse me again. We are all still trying to reorganize our thoughts and memories in human brains again. It can be confusing. _We_, Samantha, is the believing population of the ascended plane as of several of your Earth 'weeks' ago, I believe. There was war there just as there was war here in the physical plane. You knew that, but what you did not know is that it ended badly for us."

"You lost?" Vala questioned.

Skaara shrugged. "In a manner of speaking, yes. We were all forced out of the ascended plane, but we are alive. We can still do as we may here. We have victory in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Vala just blinked at him. "Right."

"So why did you end up _here_?" was Cassie's next question. She beat Sam to it.

"We knew conditions on Earth with your government was such that it would be difficult for us to get off of your planet if we had taken O'Neill's offer of sanctuary. He did not know there were so many of us, either. Most of my people, several previous Ancients--as your people call them--as well as many ascended from various other worlds are in our number. The Tok'ra offered us safe haven. And we knew from observing SG-1's recent association with them that they could be trusted."

Anise cut in then. "As Freya pointed out, this does leave us with many more to house than originally planned. They will remain here, relatively safe, until enough extra tunnels are grown for them to live in. It will take only a few more days."

Skaara nodded. "And again we thank you."

Anise nodded respectfully, then Freya took over. "It is a pleasure to aid fellow brothers and sisters."

Skaara might have been about to say something else, but another new voice called out from the direction of the camp. Sam looked up to see a small robed man making his way toward them.

"Kasuf!" Sam called, waving.

Skaara's father drew up beside him and smiled. "Welcome, Samantha Carter, Freya of the Tok'ra." He glanced around. "Where is my son?"

That took a second for Sam to figure out. Obviously he didn't mean Skaara, because he was standing right there…oh. Right. Get with the program, Sam.

"Daniel was injured, so he's not with us today, but he'll be all right." When Kasuf seemed worried she ran through the quick, reassuring explanation she'd given Skaara again. When she was finished he nodded.

"Very well then. Pass on our regards and tell him to heal soon. It has been long since we have seen him."

"I will," Sam promised.

* * *

"So they're all okay?" he asked again. 

"They're _fine_, Daniel," Sam sighed, leaning against his desk. "They're safe where they are now, and they'll all be even safe once the Tok'ra can get them all down in the tunnels."

Daniel sighed. "Sorry…it's just that, if they're not ascended anymore…well, I haven't had to worry about them for a while. Now that's changed; I can't be absolutely sure anymore."

Sam smiled knowingly. "A lot of things have changed since the rapture, Daniel. There are a lot of things that aren't as 'safe' anymore."

"And that's just going to get worse, and worse….yeah." But he was glad anyway that his Abydonian family was all right, as well as the rest of the ascended believers.

Sam nodded and shrugged, then gave him a brief pat on the back and picked up her jacket. "They'll be all right. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going."

He raised an eyebrow. "Going where?"

She shrugged. "Just going. I've got plans."

"_Plans_?"

Sam crossed her arms. "Daniel, stop it."

"Okay, sorry," he smirked. She rolled her eye back at him good-naturedly and went, leaving Daniel sitting at his desk with a translation. He couldn't drive, but Vala or Cassie would run him home later.

Trying to take a break to rest his eyes, he flipped on the radio, but that proved to be the worst thing he could have done. More and more reports of murders and other violence toward Christian believers pour in from around the globe, and the SGC knew from off world reports that it wasn't just on Earth.

Maybe third and fourth horsemen were beginning to slow in their movement, but the fifth judgment was well on its way.

And the sixth was coming.


	26. Suspicions

Okay, this is a bit long, sorry, lol. I was getting really interested toward the end. I wanted to keep going. But if you want me to...please let me know. :) Can't wait to hear from you! Thanks!

Chapter 26

There was no Hattie Durham in the outer office this time. It had been announced only a few weeks before that she would be stepping down as Carpathia's personal assistant—to prepare for the arrival of their child. Great. Jack remembered reports from Trib Force update e-mails. Rayford and the rest of his group were constantly praying for that woman; they all knew her in one way or another. And she certainly was not a believer.

This time, a prim, yet bland middle-aged woman who didn't even bother to introduce herself ushered Jack into Nicolae's office, and the potentate looked up from his gigantic desk and smiled when he saw him come in. Carpathia stood as the door closed behind O'Neill.

"Ah, Jack! It has been some time has it not? What with you in Washington and I in New York and then here. I am glad you are so close by now."

Jack smiled back, hoping the other man couldn't detect how utterly fake it was. But then again, he was good at faking. "Yeah, great, isn't it? How's it going Nicolae?" He despised saying the Antichrist's name so frivolously like that, but Carpathia had asked him before to do it, and it was one way to keep the potentate from suspecting him.

If that was even possible, Carpathia's sickly sweet smile brightened more. "That is what I like about you, Jack. Always so refreshingly casual. Everyone else here insists on calling me 'Potentate'. Never a minute of ease." Of course, in reality they probably did it out of fear that Carpathia instilled purposely—and Carpathia knew that—but he had to keep up his image of the humble man thrust to power. It was disgusting.

Jack shrugged. "Well, you know me."

"Yes yes, and I am glad that I do. Please, sit." Nicolae sat back down, and Jack took the chair across from the desk as he had more than once before, hating it every time. But now more than ever. How could the man be so utterly giddy after a war where so many had died?

Because he was the Antichrist. He existed for such destruction and chaos.

"And how are your friends in Colorado?"

That caught him off guard. Oh…of course—the image Carpathia tried to keep as a compassionate individual. He should quit while he was ahead.

"Uhm, they're all right, except Daniel's healing from a broken leg and…well…"

Nicolae nodded. "Yes, I have read the report. I am sorry about your friend. It is a shame I was never able to meet Teal'c—or that I have not met any of SG-1, actually. I am sorry I have not had the time."

"Hey, it's fine—" More than fine, really.

"No, it is not. In eighteen months I have not been able to make time for them—though that should be understandable; trying to bring an entire world together is not easy work—but I promise that I will at some point."

"Sure, okay. Nice."

Carpathia nodded. "Good. Now, about that report…"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "What?"

The potentate pulled a familiar-looking folder out of a drawer and set in on the desk. It looked just like the mission file folders at the SGC. And it was a copy of the one he had just mentioned. "There were a few concerns that I noticed in the report of SG-1's mission just as the war broke out."

"Oh?" He knew what he was talking about, but cluelessness worked. Sometimes.

"It says in here that SG-1 reported that Teal'c was killed while helping the Tok'ra to evacuate their base of that time."

"Yeah, that's what they said," Jack said carefully.

"And this is the truth?"

"There's no reason why they would have lied."

"But that was not their mission."

Carpathia was appraising him closely now, and Jack realized that he was on thin ice at the moment.

"I wasn't there, Nicolae."

"But you were the team's leader at the beginning. I assume that they trust you just as much as they trust one another. Why did they break protocol do what was not in their orders for that mission?"

"The report should tell you."

The potentate sighed. "Yes, they do report that they did it because they received word that the Tok'ra were under threat of attack from the jaffa, and that they had no time to seek advisement. They went to the Tok'ra world immediately to warn them and start the evacuation. But that is all it says."

Jack looked at him. "And that's all that happened. They heard, and they had an obligation to warn them. Technically, yes, they did do more than the current mission orders dictated, but they did not break protocol entirely. We have a treaty with the Tok'ra."

"I know that, general, but they still broke orders." There was a hint of anger in the potentate's voice now, and Jack wasn't surprised. The man had probably been hoping that the Christian Tok'ra would be wiped out in the jaffa attack. "There must have been another reason."

Okay now _that_ did now sound good. "Why?" Did Carpathia suspect them…?

Nicolae looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. "No matter. In light of the circumstances, I have already instructed General Landry to overlook this incidence. We are a tolerant society, after all. However, no more such discrepancies will be allowed without reprimand. I would suggest that you inform, your friends of this."

Tolerant, huh?

* * *

Jack pulled out his phone once he was on the road back home from Carpathia's offices, and dialed Rayford Steele's cell. The answer came after the second ring. 

"_Steele_."

"It's me, Ray. Can you talk where you are?"

"_Ah, that's a negative, general._"

Steele's cell was secure—provided for the Tribulation Force in the east by some techie they knew, apparently—so no one would be able to trace the call to Jack's phone, but obviously ray was somewhere around people that couldn't know who he was talking to. No one knew that they had any connection, and they planned to keep it that way. Okay then…

"That's okay. I was going to want to meet somewhere sometime soon anyway, since we're both here now. Can we do that?"

"_Sounds good, sir._"

"Okay…does anyone from Carpathia's inner circle come as far out as the edge of town?"

"_I don't think so, sir_."

"Great. There's a little park and mini-mall thing down the street from our building. There's never a lot of people there anyway. Can you and Amanda meet me and Sara at the back of the parking lot tomorrow evening?"

"_Affirmative, general, that is at 1930_."

"All right, see you then."

"_Glad to be of help, sir._"

The connection clicked off, and Jack closed his phone.

* * *

Daniel was only a bit surprised when Simon showed up at the big group Bible study with Sam. Usually he didn't come; he left that arena to them—holding the sessions of study and witnessing for all base personnel and their families—but then he realized that the pastor hadn't come to help. Daniel was standing at the door to his house, or as close to standing as he could be on crutches, welcoming everyone inside as they came in. When Simon and Sam showed up, they were holding hands until they got up the walk. 

He didn't say anything then. He smiled at Sam, shook hands with Simon and ushered them inside. They sat down next to each other. Daniel started the meeting, and Sam realized that she'd forgotten her Bible. Simon shared his with her. It seemed that they were sitting a bit closer together than usual. Before it had been speculation as to whether something was going on there. After all, they had only been out together two or three times in the past few weeks that Daniel knew, but then again it wasn't his business to know what went on in every minute of his friend's personal life.

Now though, Daniel didn't think there was any doubt.

At first, that seemed like a good thing, but his mind wouldn't leave it alone even as he taught that night.

Toward the end of that night's study, the husband of one of the women who worked in Daniel's department at the SGC accepted Christ. That improved the mood of the entire group considerably, but as they all started to leave, there was a damper on Daniel's excitement as he realized why he'd been thinking so hard about Sam and Simon, and why something in the back of his mind had been worrying him about it.

The core Trib Force SG-1 usually hung around later than the others, and today was no exception. Cassie and Sam stayed, chatting as Daniel's living room cleared out, and as a result Simon stayed too. Once everyone else was gone, Cassie picked up her purse and Bible and said goodbye. Then she was gone, and Sam suggested that she and Simon should leave as well.

"Sure…but can I talk to you for a minute Sam?" Daniel asked.

Sam glanced at Simon, who nodded. "That's all right; I'll be out in the car."

"Thanks," Sam smiled. He nodded, smiled at Daniel and left with a nod.

"You came together?" Daniel asked once he was out, just to confirm.

She shrugged. "Yeah, why?"

He sighed and went over to her. "Sam, what are you doing?"

"What do you mean 'what am I doing'?" she frowned.

"With him, Sam."

She raised an eyebrow and smiled just a bit. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're dating him."

Now Sam sighed. "I _am_, Daniel. Dating him, going out with him, seeing him, involved with him, whatever you want to call it—so what? Do you have a problem with that?"

Daniel didn't hesitate. "Yes."

She pinned a surprised stare on him. "Why?"

"Look, don't take this the wrong way. He's a great guy, Sam, and I'm glad we know him, but he's not one of us."

"As in not someone who knows about the stargate? So? That didn't seem to concern you or anyone else when I was with Pete."

"That wasn't now, Sam. Things are different now."

Now she was frowning again. "Just because this is the Tribulation doesn't mean I can't—"

"Sam," he interrupted. "You're not getting what I'm trying to say. That's not what I mean."

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

"Just think about the long term. I know there's not a lot of long term left, but think: If you fall in love with him, what happens in a little less than two years when we leave Earth?" It was blunt, and maybe not as tactful as he should have been. But he had to make her think.

"We can bring him—"

"The rules have already been agreed on about that, Sam. Only family. And we can't tell them anything about the stargate or anything else before then."

Sam crossed her arms. "Well maybe he'll be family by then."

Daniel stared at her. "Sam, you're talking about marriage. That's what it would take. If I'm right, you've only been seeing him for a few weeks!"

"We have almost two years, Daniel."

He sighed. "But what if he hasn't asked you by then? You'll have to leave him behind, and it'll be horrible for both of you. Listen, I know it may not be the easiest thing right now, but to be fair to both of you in the long run, my advice would be to stop this before there's no turning back. You'll see each other every day after this is all over, Sam. I just don't want you to get hurt when we have to leave."

Sam swallowed. "Daniel, don't think I haven't thought about those things too. Once or twice I tried to convince myself that I should stop it before it went anywhere…but it's too late for that now. I'm already in love with him."

* * *

Rayford and Amanda were already there when Jack arrived with Sara and Gavin in tow. The Steeles were standing outside their vehicle at the back of the decided-upon parking lot, Ray leaning against it and both of them keeping a lookout. Jack pulled up a couple of spaces away, to avoid running over them, then hoped out and got the baby out. Sara climbed out on her own and went to embrace Amanda. 

Ray smiled at Gavin. "Well he's certainly grown, hasn't he?"

"He'll be seven months old next week," Sara smiled.

"Who wants him?" Jack joked. Amanda volunteered to hold him, and he let her. Then Rayford got down to business.

"So, Jack, did you just want to meet because we haven't seen each other in a while, or is there a specific reason?"

"Well, specific reason yes and no." Ray raised an eyebrow. "Yes, we haven't seen each other in a while, but there's something else too." He'd told Sara what he could, but he hadn't been able to give her any more information that he was about to give the Steeles.

"We're all ears," Rayford prompted.

"It's kind of hard to explain without…well, you know. But basically, our friends in Colorado did something unavoidable on the job that's raised Carpathia's suspicions, I think. They helped some people who he knows are believers—not to mention that he didn't want them helped. He was trying to wipe them out.

Steel frowned. "Oh? I haven't heard anything like that."

"'Cause you wouldn't have, no. Like I said, can't say more, but I think Carpathia suspects that they're Christians."

"What about you and Sara?" Amanda questioned.

"I don't know," Jack admitted. "He may suspect us, or me, too, and he may not. But both of you are close to Carpathia more often than I am, being on his plane a lot, so we'd appreciate it if you could keep your eyes and ears open for anything about SG-1 or Sara and me."

Ray nodded. "Of course. You got it. But you know that he already knows Amanda and I are Christians. Yeah, Carpathia's trying his best to keep up the appearance of tolerance at the moment, but I still don't know how much longer I'll be able to fly for him before Amanda and I have to get out."

Jack sighed. "Yeah, I know that too. Do you have somewhere to go when that happens, by the way?"

"Yeah, in the states, where we've got Tsion hidden." And of course Jack didn't know the exact details of that either. There would be a lot to tell each other when the Millennial Kingdom got here.

"Good. We've got somewhere too." But until then, Rayford would never know that it wasn't on Earth.

* * *

Three months or so after the war, not much had changed. The cast was taken off of Daniel's leg, but he was still limping some, and had to go to physical therapy a few times a week. That could get annoying, taking away from time to work on backed-up translations, but he did want to be able to walk normally again. He was glad it wouldn't take much longer. He wanted to start going out with SG-1 again as soon as he could. 

Not that Sam, Vala, and Cassie weren't doing a good job. Due to Jack's warning, they adeptly kept up contact with the Tok'ra without General Landry or anyone else's knowledge as before, taking even more precautions. Daniel, however, couldn't wait until he could get out again. He wanted to see Skaara and Kasuf, and was interested in meeting Skaara's wife, Ashada. The women certainly seemed to like her. And according to Sam, Ashada had mentioned that she had been a friend of Sha're's from childhood. Those were stories Daniel wanted to hear.

The situation with Sam and Simon was still concerning, but if she really loved him, and vice-versa...it wasn't up to him to come between them. he was happy for them, really. He just hope it all worked out.

Vala was still ignoring anything to do with their faith, though she continued to keep the secrets they needed kept. She got frustrated with them every now and then, but still remained loyal. Daniel hoped it was because she was still getting closer to believing. He didn't 'bother' her, per se, but he reminded her that more judgments were coming. His worst fear was that she would die in the next one. It was certainly easily possible.

Right now, Vala was wandering around his office while he worked, bored because SG-1 wasn't doing anything for a few days. She was going on about something, but Daniel wasn't even sure what anymore. He was concentrating on a translation, because he did remember that he'd figured out a while ago that she was only talking to amuse herself. He had just cracked a particularly confusing sentence, when something made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Daniel looked up quickly, but didn't notice anything different. Vala was standing nearby, flipping through an old book. Then he looked back down. At first it was nothing, but then as he stared at the open book in front of him, and focused on the edges, he realized that they were rattling against the top of the desk ever-so-slightly.

He looked at the pencil sitting next to the book. It was vibrating, or so it seemed, as well. But it was smaller; the movement was more noticeable. After a moment, it was vibrating so much that it started to move on its own, and shifted several inches across the surface.

By then, Daniel's eyes were wide in horror.

* * *

Cassandra Fraiser had been one of the kids' favorite adults at the day-care center just down the mountain from the SGC, but it wasn't her who said so. The children, their parents, and the other two women she'd worked with there had told her so. The children had been upset her last day of work there, but she'd promised them that she would be back to visit at least, sometime. That had been the only thing that would satisfy them, and that was why Mrs. Jenkins, her previous boss there, had agreed to let her volunteer at the center for SG-1's week of downtime. 

Cassie loved being part of SG-1, but she was glad to be back here or a while, and the late middle-aged Mrs. Jenkins seemed glad of the temporary free extra help. It was a small, privately-owned day-care, owned by Mrs. Jenkins. There were never more than fifteen or twenty children, but some of them could be a handful, and the one of the two paid helpers had come down with a severe cold and didn't want to be around the kids this week.

"Can you read just _one_ more book, Miss Cassie, _please_?" a little girl asked as Cassie closed the book she'd just finished.

"I've already read three," she smiled. "Sorry, kids—time for your nap."

There was a round of 'awww!'s, and Cassie exchanged an amused glance with Mrs. Jenkins across the room. She and the other woman, Karen, came over to help herd the kids to the nap room, where their pads and blankets awaited. But before they could get them there, Cassie felt something.

Her hand brushed a floor-sitting shelf near the door, and she stopped. It was vibrating.

"Something wrong?" Karen asked. Mrs. Jenkins was looking at her strangely, too.

"Uhm…" The vibrating wasn't stopping. It was getting worse. Cassie swallowed and turned to Mrs. Jenkins. "I think we should take the kids outside now, actually." If this was what she thought it was….she hoped it wasn't, but if it was they did _not_ want to be inside. Especially with all these children.

"Whatever do you mean, Cassandra? It's well past nap time. They should have been sleep twenty minutes ago."

"I know, Mrs. Jenkins, but something just…occurred to me. I _really_ think we should all go outside. _Now_." There weren't enough doorways for all of them, and if this was as bad as the Bible predicted…doorways wouldn't help anyway.

"Dear, are you feeling all right?"

The shelf surface under Cassie's hand was shaking now. Finally Karen and Mrs. Jenkins also realized that something wasn't right. When all three of them glanced around, they saw that everything in the room not bolted down was shaking to some degree. It wasn't long before the ground itself started to do so.

"Oh my…." Mrs. Jenkins began worriedly.

"I'm with Cassie!" Karen confirmed urgently. She turn toward the room where the children were starting to lay down. "Kids, get back up. We're not having nap time today."

"We're going outside now, okay?" Cassie said nervously.

All of them jumped up. Half of them were old enough to realize that something was wrong, and the other half were asking if they were going to play on the playground. But the playground was out back, and it was fenced in. They didn't need to be trapped there.

Mrs. Jenkins obviously realized that too. "No, children, we're going into the yard out front. Now hurry, please." Her voice was strained, trying not to worry the kids too much. They all poured out of the room and towards the front door, half of them already crying out in alarm. Cassie counted nineteen again, just to make sure.

* * *

"Thank you," Sara smiled at the cashier. She took the grocery bags, settled them into the cargo holder netting under the baby stroller and headed out of the grocery store. But the sight that greeted her outside the doors hadn't been what she expected. 

Instead of an almost empty parking lot, there were animals all over it. Snakes, birds, lizards, even some small mammals—there wasn't a lot of animal life where they where what with New Babylon being in what had been Iraq, but every type there was was on the pavement, moving as fast as they could or just plain acting strange. To where, she didn't know, but they were moving. Horns honking at them as they crossed the road and blocked cars blared across the square, and Sara was glad she only lived a few blocks away and was walking home.

That was when she realized that the loose gravel in the parking lot was rattling against the ground.

* * *

Daniel looked up again in alarm. Vala had begun babbling out loud about something again. 

"Vala."

She didn't hear him. She kept going.

"Vala!" She turned and looked at him.

"What?" she asked, peeved at being interrupted.

They were underground. There was no time to get to the surface. But the base was surrounded by springs that were supposed to allow movement in case of earthquake. This base was supposed to be able to withstand considerable shaking, but there was no telling how bad this would be. They would just have to pray that it held. But where was the safest place to be now? As far under as they were, no one place would be much safer than another. All of the tables had solid bases…expect for his desk. And thank God he'd decided to put it near the door this year.

"Get under the desk," he ordered quickly.

"Well Daniel, I'm flattered, but what made you change your mind?" she smirked.

He could see the pencil rattling harder. "That is _not_ what I'm talking about, Vala, now get under the desk before I pull you under myself."

She rolled her eyes and started to turn back to the book. "Please, Daniel, I'm not in the mood to figure you out."

The real shaking started, just a bit. No more time.

Vala looked up again. "What…?"

"Get under the desk!" Daniel shouted. Without waiting for her to reply, he grabbed her wrist. She yelped in surprise, and the book fell from her hands as he yanked her down and into the one-sided space under his desk.

* * *

Mrs. Jenkins reached he front door and swung it open just as the real shaking started. Most of the children screamed, and some refused. Mrs. Jenkins went out first and kept the children that would go out together, Karen was just inside ushering them through it. Cassie brought up the rear, but when the last child was through the door, she'd only counted eighteen. 

"What is it?" Karen shouted. It was getting worse, and she was trying to stay upright and be heard at the same time.

"One's missing!" At that moment she heard a scream from across the room. She spun and saw one little boy clinging to the shelves on the opposite wall, where the kids' bags hung. She exchanged looks with Karen. "I'll get him!"

Karen nodded and went out to help Mrs. Jenkins with the other children. Cassie ran across the shaking floor, dodging falling and rolling toys. She snatched up the terrified boy and went back for the door, but the ground started bucking. This building was brick, but it wasn't new…

Karen was right outside the door calling to her. "Come on, Cassie, hurry!" behind her Mrs. Jenkins and the other kids were stumbling, trying to stay on their feet and away from anything that could fall on them. And were those _cracks_ opening in the ground?

She lost her footing and fell. She could both hear and feel the building coming apart around her. The boy fell from her grasp, but the door was only a few feet away. He scurried away from her and into Karen's arms, preventing the other woman from coming back in after her.

Cassie struggled back to her feet, going for the door again. But a terrible cracking noise told her that her time was limited.

"Cassie!" Karen screamed.

Not limited. Over.

There was screaming, cracking…and even though she was going as fast as she could, something fell on her legs, dropped her, then another impact that she thought was to her head…

Abruptly everything went black, but only for a moment. Then the black turned to white and gold, and she heard the sweetest sound she would ever hear.


	27. Earthquake

Weekend was busy, sorry ya'll. So here's more on the earthquake. Happy reading and please do review so I know what you think. :) Thanks!

Chapter 27

When the ground started to shake, Sara knew exactly what was happening. The sixth seal judgment had begun, and thank goodness she was no longer inside. Stumbling to stay upright, she pushed the stroller across the parking lot. This was the same strip mall where they had met the Steeles more than once since moving to New Babylon. The pavement bucked and shook, and she knew she couldn't keep the stroller. Inwardly debating on the groceries, finally she grabbed the bag with the water bottles, stuck her arm through the holes, and scooped up Gavin.

The nine-month-old was already crying, and it didn't help when the sun suddenly disappeared. Holding onto her son tightly, Sara looked up. Dark clouds had rolled in without warning, blocking the sun and making it seem like night. The moon was clearly visible--and bright red. The shaking grew more fierce, and she fell to her knees. Wincing at pain in her knees from the impact, she struggled back up.

Her eyes widened in horror when she realized that fissures were opening up in the ground, so horrible was the quake. Screams permeated the air, and when she glanced across the street, she was greeting with the sight of a man on the sidewalk being swallowed up by the earth.

_God, please keep me and my child safe! And Jack…our friends…I know many will die in this. If any of them must…please let it be quick._

Gavin was screaming in her ear. Sara winced. "Shh, shh…" she said quietly. She doubted she could be heard over the roaring of the quake. With no other options, she ran, dodging cracks and struggling hard to stay on her feet. Behind her, she heard another rumbling, and turned for a moment to see that the grocery store had collapsed. Buildings all around her were collapsing.

Sara was tiring quickly. She couldn't keep this up forever. But she had to protect her child--and the quake would not stop. It went on and on…More than once other time she fell, and got back up, and stumbled to stay away from fissures, saw other people crushed by falling buildings or rolling vehicles or swallowed by the ground. Once she fell, and a piece of broken-up pavement scraped her forehead and temple. She cried out and jumped back to her feet as quickly as she could. She didn't know how deep it was, had no way to know and didn't care at the moment.

Then it got worse. She'd known there was another part to the earthquake prophecy, but didn't remember what it was until the still dark skies opened up and the heavens dropped balls of fire. Sara didn't know what happening at first. A car across the lot popped up as something hit it, just before exploding into flames. She gasped, staggering again when something else landed nearer to her. It was a meteor, red-hot and burning with fire.

And they were falling everywhere.

Sara looked around frantically even as the ground bucked for some where to hide, to avoid the falling meteors, but there was no good place. She gasped when she saw a meteor flatten a young couple fleeing from their apartment building as it collapsed, and started moving again. Slipping and sliding, she scrambled over to a picnic table at the edge of the small park by the now flattened mall that was still intact. She dropped to her knees and rolled on hr back under it, coming up on her knees again without hurting Gavin, who was still clutched in her arms.

Still the ground rolled, but the table didn't move. It was only wood and wouldn't really do any good if a meteor fell right on top of them, but it protected them from the flying debris. God was in control; that she knew. If she was to die, she would die. If it wasn't their time, they would be all right. But that didn't keep Sara from holding tightly onto her son and closing her eyes in fear.

* * *

Vala pressed into the corner of the space under the desk as the base shook harder and harder. There was barely enough room for the two of them, and Daniel stayed as much in front of her as he could incase something was thrown at them. In the odd position he was crouched in, pain was shooting through his healing leg, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"What's going on!" Vala shouted over the noise.

"What does it look like!"

"I _know_ what it is, but why now! I've been here for years and there's never been an earthquake; are you sure it's not a 'gate malfunction?"

Daniel rolled his eyes as the desk shifted, more things fell off the top of it and landed near them, and Vala squeaked in alarm "This does _not_ have anything to do with the stargate!"

The quake intensified again, and there were creaks and groans from the walls around them, but they held. Daniel found himself praying about several thing at once, over and over. Their safety, their friends, both here on Earth and on other planets if this was elsewhere as well…

Then came the impacts. He wasn't sure what they were at first. There were only loud thumps from high above them. Then he remembered.

"Are we being attacked!" Vala shouted in alarm, looking up.

"No, they're meteors!"

She looked at him. "How can you know that?'

"Because that's what's 'supposed' to happen!"

"What!"

A sudden severe jolt stopped him from replying. Books felt off the opposite shelf, and when the room tilted a bit, they slammed into his back. Daniel cried out when the corners of a couple of the hardbound ones dug into his spine before dropping to the floor. Pain spiraled down his back and through his leg again, and he fell forward, almost on top of Vala. She caught him and pushed him back up onto his knees, looking worried.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he grimaced.

And still the quake raged on. Vala was bounced up and her head smacked into the underside of the desk "When is this going to stop??" she questioned worriedly, rubbing it.

"I don't know; just hold on!"

* * *

It stopped suddenly. The meteors stopped falling, the world stopped shaking, and the clouds rolled away. The sun came back, and Sara opened her eyes, surprised to be alive. It was like nothing had ever happened, except for the destruction left in its wake.

Gavin was crying quietly in her arms, and as she stumbled out from under the picnic table she bounced him gently, murmuring to him. He quieted down after a moment, and she realized he was getting heavy, after holding onto him for so long. She scanned the decimated parking lot, and spotted the stroller on the ground next to a huge crack in the asphalt. She picked her way to it and found that, surprisingly, it was intact. One of the legs was bent, but when she tested it, it rolled well enough. She put Gavin back inside it. The groceries that had been inside were gone, strewn and smashed or missing completely, but she still had the bag of water bottles on her arm and she put it back in the cargo holder. There were only a few, but she could make them last as long as they needed.

Looking out toward the city, she saw nothing but debris. Not a building was standing, and she didn't see any other survivors nearby, either. _Jack_. Sara quickly grabbed the handles of the stroller and started fighting her way around the piles of mutilated blacktop and…the bodies. She ignored it all as much as she could and headed for the Homeworld Security office building. It was small-ish and only one story, so hopefully those inside had some chance of surviving. Or maybe Jack hadn't been inside, or…

She stopped thinking before her mind got to the worse possibilities.

* * *

It stopped. The earthquake was going harder than ever, and then it just stopped. There were no more impacts from above. Everything was still--and much too quiet. Daniel extracted himself from the space under the desk, and helped Vala to her feet.

His office was a disaster area. Artifacts he'd owned for years were smashed, books were in piled on the floor, and shelves had fallen over and some had broken. His computer was nothing more than a hunk of twisted metal on the floor near his feet. But at least they wouldn't have to fight to get out into the corridor.

Vala was looking around, gaping, but Daniel's mouth was only a grim line. Sound started to come from the corridor again. There were shouts, and moans as wild-eyed airmen and civilians poured out of their offices and workspaces if they could _get_ out. Daniel took Vala's hand and pulled her out into the hallway, ignoring the pain in his leg when he walked that usually made him limp. His adrenaline level was too high for it to matter to him.

"Daniel! What are you doing?"

"We have to find Sam," he said shortly. She didn't seem to want to argue with that, and nodded and followed him silently. They picked their way over debris that had fallen out into the corridor, and hurried to Sam's lab. Thank goodness it was on the same level as his office.

The door was mostly blocked by something big, and metal. It was either one of the tables or one of those banks of computer equipment that lined the walls. But it covered all but a few inches at the top of the door, which was above his head, and an inch or so on one side. He didn't want to pound on it, in case it fell over and Sam was somewhere on the other side, so he just called out to her.

"Sam! Can you hear me?"

Vala picked up on why he was going about it the way he was, and pounded on the wall beside the door instead of the metal object obstructing it. "Sam!"

There was no answer.

"Sam, are you okay!" She had to have been in there, but if she wasn't answering…no, please no…

"Daniel?" a groggy voice asked.

He sighed in relief. "Yeah, it's me!"

"And me!" Vala added. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, but…oh. I think I'm stuck. One of the big computer banks fell over in front of the door."

"Yeah, we can see that," Daniel frowned. "Can you move it?"

"Uh…I don't think so. If I tired to move it from this side, I would be able to get out of the way fast enough when it fell over."

Daniel exchanged glances with Vala. "Okay, then get back. Way back. Vala and I'll try to push it over from this side. As long as you don't care about any damages."

There was a short bark of laughter from inside the room. "Like it could get any more broken. Okay, wait a minute. There was shifting and clanking and footsteps inside before she finally spoke up again. "Okay, I'm back."

"Great," Vala commented. "Now what do we do? Just push on it?"

"Just push on it," Daniel confirmed. "It took some good pushing to get it going, but once it was teetering it fell easily. They backed up and let it crash, and when the dust and sparks cleared, he looked up and saw Sam looking up from where she'd ducked in a back corner behind her desk. Her lab was just as much a mess as his office.

Sam hurried out and latched onto him. "Thank the Lord. Are you two okay?"

Daniel hugged back. "Yeah, we're fine…ow…" He winced and staggered backward. Sam let go.

"Daniel?"

The pain in his leg was back full force now. He'd been ignoring it, and that probably hadn't been a good idea. His knee gave out, and the women caught him and lowered him to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Vala asked.

"Yeah, just my leg," he grimaced. "I'll be fine."

"You were running around on it, weren't you?" Sam scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "Hey, I was more worried about making sure you were alive."

She smiled. "Well, thanks for the sentiment. And the rescue."

"You're welcome."

"Glad to help," Vala nodded. "Sure you're fine too?"

Sam glanced down at herself. "Yeah. A little dusty, lots of bruises, but okay." She glanced around. But if we're all okay, we should probably start helping. Unfortunately, there are probably more trapped or injured."

"The Wrath of the Lamb," Daniel commented quietly.

Vala looked at him. "What?"

"That's what this was, Vala," Sam answered. "The earthquake and the meteors. You felt those impacts, didn't you? It was all predicted in the Bible. It was even named."

She raised an eyebrow. "And that was the name?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. Now listen, we'll be glad to tell you more later, but right now we'd better start helping. One of you needs to help me up and find something I can use as a crutch."

* * *

Sara started running when she saw the Homeworld Security building--or as close to running as she could get while pushing a stroller through rubble. The roof was gone, and several walls were down. Every window, of course, was shattered. It was an empty, half-intact shell of brick. Even so, as bad as it looked, it was one of hardly any building she could see for miles that had any structure left to it at all. She didn't see anyone inside that was moving, but already she could see bodies.

Just outside the building she stopped and swallowed hard. She wasn't sure she _wanted_ to go in there. Gathering her courage, Sara pulled the stroller over a bump and into the open front corridor of the building. It was unnerving to be one of only two living people she could see as far as she could look in any direction, but she was determined to find her husband. She knew she might not like what she found, but she had no choice.

She had to know.

Most every room she looked in was too much of a mess to tell, but some held a dead body. When she came across that, she moved on quickly. Gavin, thank goodness, had fallen asleep, lulled by the rocking of the stroller as it bumped as easily as she could make it over the broken road to get here from several blocks away. It had taken her over half an hour when usually it only would have taken her five or ten, but she was here.

Finally she reached the door that lead to Jack's office. The door itself was hanging on one hinge, leaving clear the opening into the outer office, where she usually found Captain Baker hard at work at his desk. He was an eager newer Christian, and a kind, if sometimes self-conscious young man…but he was dead.

Sara swallowed hard when she saw his desk. He had been sitting there all right. But the ceiling had fallen in on him right where he was sitting, crushed him His body was bent face-down over the now broken surface of the desk.

Now she _really_ didn't want to go into the other office.

She left the stroller in the doorway in-between the outer and inner office, so she could still see Gavin and he was only a few feet away, and stepped into Jack's workspace. She glanced at where the desk was, near the door. The desk was smashed to pieces, but there was no body. Thank goodness too, because that was where most of the ceiling had crashed down.

Sara was just beginning to worry that maybe he was there, and he was buried under all of that, or that maybe he wasn't here at all and she wasn't any closer to finding him at all…when she heard a groan from the other side of the room.

She spun. "Jack?"

Over by the far wall where the file cabinets were, she saw that most of them were down, bent, and twisted. But one, a foot or so from the side wall, had tipped over and sat propped against it. There was some debris on the floor in front of it, but underneath the scattered layer of ceiling shards, two feet protruded.

"Jack??"

She hurried that way, following the shape up to just under the file cabinet. It the two-foot wide space between the bottom of the tipped file cabinet and the wall, was Jack's head and shoulders, protected by the accidental cover. One of his arms was up by his head, rubbing at his weakly. He groaned again.

"Jack!" She knelt down beside him and grabbed his hand. "Oh thank God you're all right."

He blinked at her groggily. "Sara?"

"I'm right here, Jack."

"Good," he sighed. Then he seemed to think of something. "Gavin?" he asked, trying to sit up.

"He's fine; he's right over there in his stroller."

Jack grimaced, obviously in pain but still trying to get up. "I'm trapped." There was a beam from the ceiling laying across his chest, so he couldn't sit up just yet.

"Here…" She pushed at it, he helped, and together they couldn't move it a whole lot, but they got it to the side enough that he could roll out. That, however, proved to be a bad idea. He cried out and curled up, his face a mask of pain.

Sara dropped the beam and put her arms around him. "Jack! Hold on. How bad is it?"

"Stupid question," he grated, straightening out most of the way. And still he started trying to sit up.

"Stay _down_, Jack," she order, hand on his shoulder. "Apparently you've got broken ribs. Or maybe they're only cracked, but either way, stay still."

"How are we supposed to get out of here if you won't let me get up?" he complained.

"There's no ceiling, Jack. We can watch for rescue aircraft."

He looked up at that and seemed to realize that for the first time. "Oh…right…"

"We'll be all right. I've got a few water bottles in the stroller."

Jack raised an eyebrow and muffled a grimace. "Since when did you just carry around a stash of water bottle in Gavin's stroller?"

She smirked. "I don't. I was shopping when it hit."

"Ah."

* * *

They had hoped that just maybe no one on base was dead, but it wasn't to be. One corner had caved in, on several floors in a row. With the entire SGC such a wreck, there wasn't an exact body count, since it had only been a couple of hours, but there were at least eleven known casualties already. Three known members of the Christian contingent of the SGC had been confirmed in the collapsed section. No-one there had survived.

But everyone else was all right. There were injuries, and even General Landry had a broken arm, but the SGC was otherwise intact. With that assessed, Landry, who was in the infirmary being tended to by his daughter Doctor Lam, gave SG-1 the permission to leave and locate their fourth.

Vala started for the elevator, but Sam stopped her. "Not gonna work."

Daniel frowned, leaning on his own crutch that the women had found for him in the rubble of his office. "Oh…that's right. Uhm…I can't climb that many ladder steps."

Sam sighed. "Not all of them were really damaged. Half of them are fine; they just got knocked around a bit, _and_ we're on generator power. T's already being worked on, and they'll probably be running by tomorrow, but you're right, Daniel. I didn't think of that. You have to stay here until then."

Well, they would have to come back here anyway. It would make much sense to go any farther than the day-care center, as bad as it probably looked up there. So he would find out soon enough anyway.

"Take Vala and go on and find Cassie," Daniel told her. "I'll wait here. When I looked, my room wasn't in such bad shape."

Sam nodded. "Okay."

Vala groaned. "Do we really climb all the way up there?"

"Oh hush and come on."

* * *

It wasn't long, actually, before they heard the whacking of chopper blades. It was only another hour or so. Sara jumped up.

"They'll probably be able to see me more easily if I go out in the street," she suggested.

Jack glanced at Gavin in his stroller, which had been moved into the room next to them. "Go ahead. I'll keep an eye on him."

Sara nodded and dashed out of the building as quickly as she could go without getting herself killed. Outside, she spotted the chopper doing a sweep nearby. When it turned in their general direction, she jumped up and down and waved her arms and called. When the small aircraft made a slight course correction and made a beeline for her, she knew she'd gotten the pilot's attention. Moments later, the helicopter had set down on a relatively flat patch of pavement near her and climbed out.

There was no co-pilot. He was alone. The man was red-haired and wearing a GC pilot's uniform. When he spoke, his American southern accent was clear.

"Mac McCullum, ma'am. Need a lift?"

She sighed as he reached her. "Yes, thank you. My husband and son are inside that building waiting. But my husband is injured and I'll need help moving him."

The pilot nodded. "All right. You're lucky, you know. I just uh…dropped a friend off somewhere, then was ordered to come back here and do a quick sweep for survivors. There were a couple more choppers closer to the inner city, but they left. There's nobody."

"No one?" she asked, swallowing. Then what about Rayford and Amanda? She glanced toward where the huge headquarters building had once stood. "But what about--"

"Oh, the Potentate is fine. He, his head pilot, and me all got out in the same chopper before the main building collapsed." Rayford was all right!

"Oh, that's great." She didn't give a hoot about Carpathia, but she was glad to know one friend was alive. "Now could you help me with Jack..?"

He nodded. "Of course, in just a moment. What's your name, ma'am? And your husband's name?"

"Uhm, I'm Sara O'Neill. Jack O'Neill is my husband."

"All right, give me a minute?"

McCullum took a few steps away and pulled out a phone. But how could that work now? Wherever he was calling had to be close, because surely he couldn't get a real cell boost _now_. He talked for only a moment or so before putting it away and coming back to her.

"The Potentate knows who you are, ma'am. Or your husband more specifically. He had an underground, spring-surrounded shelter built for just such emergencies about three klicks from here, but it's for authorized personnel only. Apparently you're authorized, because I have a go to lift all three of you over there."

She nodded while thinking _Carpathia knew this was coming…_

Fifteen minutes later Jack was taken out of the building on a stretcher and strapped into the back seat of the helicopter, while Sara sat in the front next to McCullum, holding Gavin. McCullum took the chopper up and into the desert, leaving the devastation behind.


	28. Leon's Story

Okidoki here's chapter 28. :) Thanks for all your reviews; please keep it up ya'll. it helps a lot. hugs Okay, shutting up now.

Chapter 28

Sam and Vala climbed up to the surface, and discovered that the parking lot wasn't as much of a mess as they'd been afraid of. Several vehicles were rolled or crashed, but many were still intact, including Sam's car. She climbed into the driver's seat and unlocked the other doors, allowing Vala to get in beside her.

"Do you think we'll be able to get down there?" she asked, frowning.

Sam shrugged. "We'll find out."

The road was a mess, but it wasn't completely destroyed. They had to pick their way around cracks and debris, and it took much longer than the ten or so minutes it usually did to get there, but finally, almost forty minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the day-care center.

The building was gone, completely flattened and nothing more than a pile of rubble. The children were in a group off to one side of the pavement, and Sam could see Karen keeping them together while Mrs. Jenkins saw to getting the children to their parents. A few had already managed to get here from town. All of them looked dumbstruck and some almost hysterical, only wanting to get to their kids and get out.

Sam only wanted to get Cassie and get back to the SGC…but where was she?

Mrs. Jenkins glanced up from handing over one little boy to his mother, and saw them getting out of the car. She looked upset at the sight of them for some reason, and Sam hurried over to her, a sick feeling in her stomach. Vala trailed behind her, taking in the devastation with a grim expression.

"Samantha, I'm glad you're all right…"

Sam nodded back. "Mrs. Jenkins. What's wrong? Where's Cassie?"

The older woman took a shaky deep breath. "Oh, Samantha, I…I'm so sorry--"

"What happened?" she asked tightly. She didn't mean to interrupt, but she had to know. If Cassie was…how could this be happening??

Mrs. Jenkins's hands clasped and unclasped in front of her. "We were getting the children out of the building…one of them got away from us, wouldn't leave. She went back to get him. The boy got out, but…but she didn't…I'm sorry…"

Her throat closed up. She heard Vala gasp behind her. Tears pushed at the edges of her eyes, but she blinked them back. "Where?" she managed.

"W-we got her out…" The other woman motioned vaguely in one direction. Sam turned hesitantly. At first she didn't see anything but the other side of the parking lot and more of the destroyed day-care building…but then she saw what lay on the pavement near the grass. She had to suck in a quick breath to keep from sobbing out loud.

It was a long shape covered by a disheveled blanket, probably all that they had been able to find in the rubble.

Vala was at her shoulder in a moment, a hand on her arm. "Sam…?" She glanced at her friend, and the tears she saw in her eyes told her that she knew. Vala hadn't known Cassie as well as the rest of them, but still…

Sam swallowed and started toward the other side of the lot. Vala followed closely, looking as if she was almost afraid Sam would topple on her. Sam wasn't sure that she wouldn't. There was a touch of skin visible peeking out from one side of the blanket, and part of a hand. She crouched down and reached for it, feeling a sudden irrational hope because it didn't look too pale. Not sure why she was doing it, she gently pulled the hand out and checked for a pulse on the wrist.

She waited much too long, willing something to bump under her fingers. She couldn't be gone!

Vala came down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder now. "Sam," she said gently. This time it wasn't a question. It was telling her that no matter how long she sat there, she wouldn't feel anything. She let go. Vala tucked the hand back under the blanket with care. "Do you want to…?"

She nodded before Vala could finish the sentence. She had to. Vala nodded and reached past her. Sam's eyes had already closed before, to keep the tears back. She didn't open them until she knew the blanket was back. It was Cassie, all right, but instead of alive and vibrant and smiling at her, she was laying there lifeless. At least her eyes were closed. She didn't look much different than if she were sleeping, except for the wound on her head. It didn't look horrible, but her neck might have been broken.

It didn't matter. She was gone. She would leave the how to a doctor.

Sam sobbed. Vala took one last glance at the young woman's body, tight-lipped, and replaced the blanket. Sam couldn't keep the tears from coming then, and cried openly. She felt Vala put her arms around her, but didn't have the energy to return the friendly embrace.

* * *

The shelter was indeed underground, and it was huge. Granted, they couldn't see all of it just while coming in through one of the smaller auxiliary entrances (apparently, according to Mac McCullum, the main entrance, big enough for Carpathia's plane which was safely hidden inside, had been blocked by sand in the quake and was being cleared) but the O'Neills could get the idea.

Inside the shelter, it looked at if nothing had happened. A full staff was there, working almost as normally as anything. There was food, and they were told that there were plenty of living quarters and they would be assigned one shortly. Carpathia was buzzing around in the main area, Leon Fortunato, his right-hand man, never far behind. The Potentate looked positively gleeful, and for some reason Fortunato seemed to be worshipping the very ground the man walked on.

A couple of meds that met them carted Jack off to the infirmary on a gurney. Sara walked with them, still carrying Gavin, and McCullum followed them at first, seeming to have nothing better to do.

Jack, however, was not planning on doing nothing just because he was a little down for the count. "So what's up with them?" he asked, cocking his head back in the general direction of Carpathia and Fortunato.

McCullum shook his head. "That ones a long story. You'll have to ask Leon to tell you, because I'm sure he'd be glad to." The pilot glanced at his watch. "Me, though, I've got to go see if I can grab something to eat before I gotta leave again."

"Where else could you possibly be going after all this?" Sara questioned curiously.

He sighed. "I'm the Potentates co-pilot, but his head pilot asked to be left at the Baghdad airport for a little while, and I gotta go pick him up."

Ray. Why was Rayford at the Baghdad airport?

"What's he doing there?" Jack asked anyway. Anyone would be curious after what had just happened. It shouldn't raise any suspicion.

"Well, I think he was going to help out with some rescue efforts maybe, but…well, his wife was supposed to be flying in there, and…" McCullum trailed off and shrugged. "I hoped he would find her okay, but then we got word that flight went down in the Tigris River."

Jack saw Sara's eyes go wide and knew she had stifled a gasp. Amanda. Poor Rayford…

"Oh, that's horrible…" she said quietly.

"Yeah…" McCullum stopped at looked at them. "I'm not really a praying man, but he is, and he's a friend of mine. So if you do that, or if you know anybody else who does, maybe you might want to--"

"Yeah," Jack interrupted, saving the pilot from finishing what was obviously an uncomfortable sentence for him. "I know what you mean. You got it."

McCullum nodded. "Okay. Well…I gotta go, but thanks."

"Thanks for the lift," Jack answered, giving the other man a reassuring bit of a smile. The pilot nodded and backed off, and the meds pushed open a door to what must have been the infirmary and wheeled him in.

As the doors closed on McCullum and Sara followed them inside, Jack saw tears in her eyes.

* * *

Vala held onto Sam until her sobs quieted, and by then the woman she had called Mrs. Jenkins had come over. She was standing there when Sam finally pulled her face out of Vala's shoulder and looked up. The other woman looked just as upset.

"Samantha…I just…you should know that it was thanks to her we got of the children out in time." Sam looked up at her. "She not only pulled that one boy out, but she warned us out the quake before it even started. She noticed the signs when the rest of us weren't paying attention. I don't know how she did it, but she saved us all--" Mrs. Jenkins broke off. "I'm sorry."

Sam nodded. "Thank you…" she said quietly.

After that, there was short discussion Vala didn't take part in over whether they should take the…body. In the end it was decided that they would bring Cassie's body back to the base with them. There was a morgue there, so it made sense. And Sam didn't seem like she would be able to hold herself together if they just left her here.

Vala hadn't been close to Cassie, but they had been friends. It had been almost unavoidable, as much as the younger woman had been around since the disappearances. She felt the loss, too, but at the moment she was more numb than anything. But Sam was in pieces, so she would probably have to tell Daniel herself. She didn't look forward to that at all.

She helped Sam and Mrs. Jenkins get the body into the back seat of the car, but stopped Sam when she went to get behind the wheel.

"Do you want me to drive?" she asked with concern.

Sam shook her head. "Thank, but no. If I'm not driving, I'll be thinking."

* * *

The bland artwork that whatever decorator had done every single room at the SGC had hung in his room was down, the frames broken, and the fake potted plant was tipped over, the cheap ceramic pot smashed. The dresser had fallen over and the few articles of extra clothing Daniel kept there were strewn across the floor. The nightstand, maybe because it had been right next to the bed, was still standing up, but the lamp that had been on it had fallen to the ground and shattered. But the bed, even though it had shifted in position several feet, was all right.

Daniel would think about picking up and straightening what he could once his leg stopped hurting so much. He'd run around on it without a crutch for a little while after the earthquake, and after that he been limping around _with_ the crutch for a couple more hours, and that had aggravated the still healing limb. Once Sam and Vala had left he'd come here like he told them he would, but then decided he wouldn't be able to rest with so much work to be done. He'd come out again, but after another hour of helping with cleanup he almost hadn't been able to stand. But in his stubbornness, it had taken Carolyn Lam ordering him to get off his feet before he came back to his room.

He'd been here for a while now, resting his leg, and was almost asleep when there was a knock on the door. Blinking groggily, he sat up again. "Come in," he called.

Sam and Vala came in, closing the door behind them. He wasn't awake enough yet to extrapolate anything from that immediately. He shook his head and cleared sleep from his eyes.

"Where's Cassie?" he asked immediately. There wasn't a forthcoming answer. He looked up at his friends as they came closer to the bed and sat down on its edge, silent. Vala looked upset, and Sam looked like she had been crying. Daniel felt his chest tightening. "Is she coming?" he asked desperately.

Sam swallowed. "Coming back with everyone else at the Glorious Appearing, yeah," she said quietly.

Daniel's eyes closed. "No…"

"The building came down on her…while she was getting the kids out, apparently," Vala filled in softly. "And all of them got out, too, thanks to her."

Cassie…even as she's grown, part of him as always seen her as the shy, sweet little girl they'd found her as, when they'd rescued her and brought her to earth and Janet had raised her. Part of Daniel wondered if the young woman was being reunited with her adopted mother--or even her biological parents--but there was no way to know. At least they could know they would see Cassie again…

But how much of this would they have to take?

* * *

Late that night on the other side of the world, Jack lay awake in the infirmary in Carpathia's huge underground shelter, not far from the ruins of what had been New Babylon just that morning. Sara had stayed with him long enough to see that he was patched up well and get confirmation from a doctor that he would be fine once the two broken ribs healed. Then when a young official had popped into the infirmary and informed her that their quarters had been assigned and were ready, she had bid Jack goodnight and followed the man to them to put Gavin down and get some sleep herself.

Even though it was almost ten here, there was still plenty of activity out in the main area of the infirmary. Jack was in a smaller room just off it that contained a few beds and was quieter, and darker. There were a couple more sleeping patients on the other side of the room. He was trying to sleep, but he kept worrying about their friends back in the States--both in Colorado and the rest of the Tribulation Force in the est. Was SG-1 okay? Were Buck and Chloe and Tsion all right?

The Rabbi, Tsion Ben-Judah, had recently started a website, with posting boards where he pinned daily messages and could receive replies, which he answered as much as he could, as many of them as there were. Whoever had helped him and the Trib Force set it up had made it untraceable. Wherever they were hiding the Rabbi, he was safe and had the perfect way to witness to masses. That was a good thing, too. The messages and teachings Tsion posted were a daily encouragement. Jack and Sara both had taken to reading the site daily, and he'd heard from Daniel that he and the others in the States were eating it up.

Jack was glad of that. Bruce's death had really hit Daniel hard, in the loss of a mentor, and though none of them had ever met Tsion Ben-Judah, and he could never replace Bruce, for them or for the original Tribulation Force, he was wonderful to have.

Jack was just wondering how to talk to Rayford here without raising any suspicion, when the door to his room opened and an orderly ushered in a patient.

"Sorry we don't have any bed left out there. Wait in here. The doctor will be in shortly to check you over." The man didn't look happy, but he obeyed and sat down on the edge of one of the free beds only a few feet from Jack and crossed his arms as the orderly closed the door again.

The patient was Rayford Steele.

"Psst, Ray," Jack called quietly.

Steele looked up and squinted in the dimness, but then realized he shouldn't be looking very far, and spotted him. "Jack?"

"Yep."

Rayford moved over a bed and sat back down. "Hey, glad you're all right."

"Yeah, you too. And good to meet you too, fellow patient. Don't guess anyone would care if we had a casual conversation."

Steele actually smiled a bit at that. "Exactly. Guess not."

Jack nodded and started to sit up a bit more. Then he remembered why he was stuck in here, grimaced in pain and laid back against his pillows again.

"What happened?" Rayford asked.

"Ah, I was at the office when it happened, got lucky. I think I was the only survivor in the building. Sara found me. She'd been shopping when it hit and was gonna walk home, so she was outside--and close enough to get to me after it was over." He snorted. "Makes me glad I'm on the right side."

"Yeah…"

Jack looked at his friend for a moment, then sighed and added quietly, "Hey, Ray, look, we heard about the plane, and I'm sorry…"

Steel stiffened, but soon deflated again. "Thanks." He was silent again, at first, then without looking up asked, "Do you know anything about the rest of your group?"

"Not yet. Haven't been able to get to a phone," Jack frowned.

"Don't bother; they're not working yet. I don't know how Buck, Chloe, and Tsion are doing, either." Looking at him, Jack hoped that all three of them were all right. Rayford didn't look like he could take it if any of them were gone too.

"I'm sure they're all fine," he said after a minute or so.

Ray nodded. "Yeah." Then he sighed and looked up again finally. "So, have you heard the Fortunato story?" he asked, changing the subject.

He could go with that. He was curious anyway. "I heard there _was_ a story, but I've been cooped up in here since we arrive. What's going on?"

Steele rolled his eyes. "Well, I didn't see it myself, but Mac told me after he picked me up from the airport."

"In Baghdad. Yeah, he told us you were there."

"He did? Mac McCullum?"

"Yeah, he's the one that found us and flew us over here, so we've met him. He didn't mention names, but he did say he had to go pick up 'the Potentate's head pilot', and he mentioned where. Wasn't hard to figure out."

"Oh." Rayford shrugged. "Well, anyway, he told me what happened after he got here from dropping me off earlier today, just after the quake."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I assume this is going to explain why Fortunato was acting so weird when we got here?"

"Yeah."

"Do tell."

"All right, well according to Mac, he came back here with Carpathia. When they arrived, Carpathia started asking around about Leon, but was told that he'd been at headquarters, and there were no survivors from there except us. And get this--he got _upset_."

"Upset? Carpathia? He's the Antichrist. Why would he be upset because one guy was dead?"

"Beats me. But Mac says he really looked shaken. He left the shelter again, _by himself_, and came back about half an hour later--with Fortunato. Apparently he was really dusty, but other than that there wasn't a scratch on him."

Jack just stared. "How is that possible? He _was_ dead, wasn't he?"

"Probably. Yeah. But then without even changing first Leon got everybody together and told them what had happened. According to him, yes, he was in the building when it went down, and he went down with it. He described some gruesome stuff about how, exactly, he was killed--you know, stuff to do with being in a collapsing building and being crushed--and then came the good part. He said there was nothing, just black nothingness, and then he heard a voice calling to him, said he thought it was his mother at first then realized it was Carpathia. That was when Nicolae called loudly 'Leonardo, come forth!'"

"You're not serious."

"I'm completely serious. I believe it, too. Mac would have no reason to make up a story like that, and I've seen how Fortunato's been acting around Carpathia since I got here. Besides, Nicolae's the Antichrist. Why _wouldn't_ he try to mimic the miracles of Jesus?"

"Lazarus. That was how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in the Bible. He'd been dead for a few days and was in his tomb, then Jesus gets there and says pretty much the same thing, and out walks Lazarus, fit as a fiddle. I remember than one."

Ray nodded. "I do too."

Jack thought for a moment. "So…do you think he really did it?"

"What, raise Leon from the dead? Yeah, not much doubt about that. Maybe Carpathia hasn't been indwelt by Satan yet, but we knew he was giving him powers. But he doesn't have any more than God lets him, so…" He shrugged.

"Right…so what now?"

"It's the first step toward Nicolae declaring himself a god, that's what," Rayford scowled. "It won't be for another year and nine Months, but it had to start somewhere."

Jack would have replied to that, but at the moment the door opened and a doctor came in, making a beeline for Rayford.

Steele rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, but Carpathia insisted I get checked over before going back on duty."

"Good luck with that," Jack smirked.

Ray shrugged and moved another couple of beds over, where the doctor intercepted him. Jack closed his eyes and tried to sleep.


	29. Mark of the Believer

Sorry I took a whole week for this! Things have been crazy around here getting ready for a friend of mine to visit. She's staying for a couple weeks. Don't know if I'll be able to update during that time or not. I'll get one more chapter up before she gets here though. Chapter 30 begins part 3, so don't miss it. :) I hope you like this chapter, and please tell me what ya think. :) Thanks!

Chapter 29

"So what about everybody over there?" Daniel asked finally. He'd had to give Jack a few minutes after he'd broken the news about Cassie. It was hard to believe it had been two or three days since the earthquake. It had all been one long, stressful, sleepless blur, waiting for communications to open again so they could find out if their friends were all right.

He heard Jack swallow hard. "_Uh…well, you know the three of us are ok…and Rayford's all right. He doesn't know about the rest of his group in the states yet. But…Amanda and Baker are gone_."

Daniel glanced at Sam, who bit her lip and gulped. He had the speaker phone on here in his office, though it was just the two of them. Vala had declined sitting in on the call once they had heard that the phones were working again. Carpathia sure was quick, that was for sure.

He sighed heavily himself. "I'm sorry…"

"_Yeah…thanks. Ray's pretty messed up. Keep us both in your prayers, would ya_?"

Daniel nodded to himself, and he saw Sam nodding, too.

"We will," she answered.

Jack sighed. "_I just wish we could be there_."

"I know you do, Jack…but we'll be okay. If you ran off now it would be way too suspicious," Daniel reminded him.

"_Yeah, yeah…_"

"Just be careful over there," Sam insisted.

After that the direction of the conversation changed. Daniel brought up something he and Sam had been discussion in the past day or two.

"Jack…you realize that this leaves the Trib Force SG-1 with just the three of us, right?" he asked.

"_I get that, Daniel_," Jack answered gruffly. "_But what are we supposed to do about it_?"

He exchanged glanced with Sam. "Well…Sam and I were thinking that maybe it's time to induct two or three new members."

O'Neill didn't respond for a moment. "_Okay, I'm game. Who were you thinking of_?"

"The other three original SGC believers," Sam filled in. "The others who were with us watching the treaty signing."

"_Carolyn, Reynolds, and Siler_?"

"That's them," Daniel nodded. "It makes sense; we're already relatively close to all three of them. We know we can trust them."

Jack took a deep breath and let it out. "_Well, it sounds good to me_."

There wasn't much more to say after that. They all knew who was all right and who wasn't, and they couldn't stay on much longer, anyway. There were too many at the SGC trying to get calls out to friends and family to check on them. And it was late in Iraq, well past time for Jack and Sara to be sleeping. They certainly needed it.

Daniel hung up the phone when they were done and looked at Sam. "Well, at least Jack and Sara and Gavin are ok…"

She didn't say another word, just took a step and hugged him. He held onto her for a moment, until she broke away again. "I guess I should try to call the church now that we can," she suggested. Though it was probably more to find out of Simon was okay. But that was fine, too. He hoped the pastor _was_ all right.

He sighed. "Yeah…and see if we're having church tomorrow night."

Sam nodded. "Okay," she sighed.

* * *

Sam hesitated before opening her cell phone in her lab. It really was amazing how fast Carpathia had gotten work teams out all over the world, sticking up temporary cell towers all over the place on oversized telephone poles. They weren't as tall as the regular towers, of course, but with so many of them it still worked. She should be able to get through to Simon--and if he was alive, he would probably be at the church.

Quickly she dialed his cell phone number, but hesitated before punching call. What if he didn't answer? What if a stranger answered and told her he was dead? Could she take that? After Cassie, and Amanda? But God promised in His Word that He would not give his children more than they could handle without His help. _Please Lord…if it's your will, let him be all right…_

She hit the 'call' button and held the phone to her ear, eyes closed and hoping. She'd been going insane for over two days, wondering.

"_Hello_? _Samantha_?" an anxious voice answered. When he was worried or stressed, he reverted back to using her full name, sometimes without even realizing it. It was one of the things she liked about him. It was cute.

"Simon," she sighed, sinking into her desk chair in relief. "Thank goodness you're all right. Where are you?"

"_At the church. I assume you were at the base when the quake occurred_?"

"Yeah…I was, and I'm still here. None of us wanted to go too far until communications were back up. Daniel and I don't even know if our houses are still standing. How bad was it where you were?"

He sighed. "_I assume you've heard the radio reports--that there were several epicenters to the quake. That means it was worse in some areas than others. Colorado Springs wasn't near one of the epicenters, so it was actually relatively mild here. Many of the older, heavier brick buildings collapsed, but most of the houses I've seen are still intact, mostly. A tree damaged a corner of mine, but the room is in a corner and I just sealed it off. I can have it repaired later--if there's even any point. In less than two years all of us will become fugitives_."

"Right…" Sam agreed. "Well I'm glad you're ok. What about the church itself?" He was silent. "Simon?"

"_That's why I'm here_," he admitted quietly. "_I'm rescuing what I can. I'm afraid it didn't make it. There are a few inner walls standing, but most of it's down_."

Her heart jumped into her throat. "Oh no…"

"_It was just a building, Sam_," he reminded her gently.

"I know," she answered, twisting the tail of her shirt in her hands. "It's just that it's the only church I've ever had any real connection to, and…"

"_I understand. But we are still the same church. We can meet anywhere. Tonight, we will meet here anyway, in the parking lot. I've cleared it as best I can so we can have a short service. I didn't want to change the location, because I know there will be plenty who won't get through on the phone to check. Soon we'll have to find another place._"

"Well, we could just meet in the park down the road until we find another building--or _if _we find another building," she gulped.

"_Yes, I had thought about that--both things. The park would probably do for the time being, and again, we might not be given the chance to find another place. It depends on how quickly the Antichrist tightens his control of 'religious' activities, as they say._"

"Right…so anyway, come tomorrow night as usual?"

"_Correct. And Sam…if you can get here a little early I would like it very much._"

Sam couldn't help smiling a little. "I'll be there half an hour before anyone else."

* * *

Sam came back for a moment after making her call to tell him Simon was all right and give him the news about the church, then retreated back to her lab. They were all still working on cleaning up their own spaces from the devastation of the quake. Daniel worked in his office the rest of the day and into the night. Vala wandered in once, bored, wanting to do something, but soon realized he wouldn't be taken away from straightening, and decided to just help him for a while, before going again.

By late that night the office was almost in working order again. The tables and unbroken shelves were all back in place and stocked with their original contents, though there was neatly piled stacks of books here and there that didn't have a home yet, because the shelf they'd been on had splintered. But it was neat. He didn't have another computer yet, but the old one had been disposed of sans the hard drive, which sat on his desk where the PC had been. Hopefully he could get his files off of it and onto the new one, whenever the SGC replaced the damaged ones.

The next job on the list, which he and Sam would probably tackle tomorrow, was asking the prospective new members of the SG-1 Trib Force if they wanted to join. Daniel headed for Sam's lab to check on her progress, and passed Seargeant Siler in the corridor. The two men only nodded at each other in passing, but Daniel still noticed that the sergeant had a smear of something on his forehead. He'd probably been working all day too.

He found Sam finishing up in her lab, straightening a rack of technical binders and other such paperwork.

"Hey," he called in greeting, leaning on the door frame.

She turned. "Hey. You finished already?"

"Yeah, Vala helped me some," he admitted sheepishly.

"Well, I'm almost done," she said, surveying her work. "What do you think?"

Daniel resisted a chuckle and came into the room. "I think Siler's not the only one doing a dirty job today."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"He had oil or something on his face when I saw him a minute ago; you've got something on your forehead too; come here," he answered, taking hold of one of her shoulders to keep her from moving and licking his other thumb. He started to bring it up to her head, but she batted his arm away and squirmed out from under him.

"Eww! I'll get it myself, thank you," she smirked.

Daniel just shrugged and let her rub at it with her sleeve once she'd straightened. When she dropped her arm it was still there.

"Did I get it?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

She sighed and rubbed at it again, more vigorously this time. "Now?"

"Uh…no," he frowned. That was a little odd.

Sam looked at him. "Hey. You're one to talk. You've got something on your face too," she scolded.

"I do?" Daniel blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, right…there," she told him, poking a finger into the middle of his forehead. He reached up and rubbed at it. "Still there."

Now he was frowning even deeper. "Wait…let me see that." He put a hand on the side of her face to keep her head still and looked closer at the smudge on her skin. After a moment, he could see that it was actually a shape.

"A cross," he breathed.

She frowned too. "A what?"

"A cross!" Daniel exclaimed excitedly. "The smudge on your forehead is shaped like a cross!"

* * *

It was still late Tuesday in Colorado, but at that moment it was around 7:30 in the morning in New Babylon. Jack was at the sink in the tiny bathroom of his and Sara's room at the temporary GC headquarters, getting ready for the day. He was off active duty and couldn't walk around a whole lot, but he didn't feel like sleeping any longer. Sara was still in bed and he was finishing brushing his teeth when there was a knock on the door.

Jack made it to the door, painfully, and opened it. Rayford Steele and Mac McCullum came in quickly and closed the door behind them.

"This is where we were going?' Mac asked in confusion, before Rayford could even say anything. "I didn't know you two knew each other."

"Long story, Mac, but yeah we do," Ray answered quickly. Then he turned to O'Neill. "Jack, you'll never believe what's happening."

Jack looked at the two pilots groggily and sank down to sit on a chair in the entryway of the small quarters. "If you mean not believing that both of the Antichrist's pilots are standing in my front hall at seven thirty in the morning, yeah, I don't believe it. What's going on, Ray? And keep it down, will you? Sara and the baby are still sleeping."

"Well wake her up. She needs to know this too."

"Are you sure…?"

"What is it, Jack?" Sara asked, coming in from the bedroom. They were both still in their nightclothes, and she had thrown a robe over hers. "And what are you doing up and around? You should still be in bed yourself," she scolded, sighing.

He shrugged. "According to Rayford, there's something we need to know."

Sara looked at him. "What is it?" She didn't need to question what they were doing there in the first place. It was early enough in the morning that no one else would ever know they had been there. Not to mention that if anyone ever did see them talking, it would be easy to explain now that everyone was living under the same, huge roof underground.

"Look at our foreheads, and look at each others'," Ray answered immediately. McCullum found the light switch, and turned on the lights in the alcove around the door.

Jack and Sara looked at each other. When he looked at her forehead, he saw a strange smudge there. Quickly he glanced at Rayford and McCullum, and saw the same type of black mark on theirs.

"Okay….and? What in the world is it?" he frowned.

Sara came closer to her husband. She took his face in her hands and looked at his forehead closely for a few seconds. Then she gasped.

"It's a cross, Jack!"

Jack looked up at her head more closely, then glanced at the other two men there. She was right. The black smudge they all shared was in the undeniable shape of a cross.

* * *

"A cross?" Sam questioned. She peered at his head for a moment, before her eyes widened. "It is. but…what is it?"

Daniel started talking, words tumbling out of him in excitement. "In the Bible, in Revelation it talks about this--about God sealing his own on their foreheads. That must be what this is! We had no idea when it was actually going to happen or what it would look like. We weren't even sure if it was literal or visible, but here it is!"

She grabbed his hand and pulled his over to the side one of the machines, with its flat metal surface that could act like a mirror. She peered into it, but didn't see anything on her forehead.

"Where is it?" She could see Daniel's on his forehead in the reflective surface, but nothing on her own head.

Daniel looked closely at himself. "Hey, I don't see anything on my forehead either…" They looked at each other. She could see the mark clearly on his forehead.

"It's there," she assured him. He looked back at the metal.

"I can see yours in there, and when I look at you, but I can't see my own."

"Same for me," she frowned. On impulse, she went to the door. A young airman passed by and she called out to him. He lifted head, saw her and snapped to attention.

"Ma'am?"

"At ease, airman. Just tell me--do I have anything on my forehead?"

He looked at her strangely for a moment. "No ma'am."

"Thank you. Continue on." He left, and she turned back to Daniel. "Well?"

His brow was furrowed in thought. "He didn't have one. Maybe unbelievers can't see the mark."

"Either that or we're just crazy."

"No. no, we're not crazy. I saw Siler on the way over here too, remember? He had something on his forehead. That must have been it. The believers have the mark, and we can see each others', but not our own, and unbelievers can't them at all."

"Convenient," Sam answered skeptically.

"No, perfect," Daniel grinned. "It's perfect. God designed them, didn't He? He knows what He's doing, Sam. This could help us out a lot now, maybe, but so much more in the future, when things get more dangerous. He knew that!"

* * *

Rayford and McCullum told them what they had discovered about the marks that morning, when Mac had burst into his room to tell him that he had accepted Jesus as his savior. It had only added to the happiness.

"So unbelievers can't see the mark?" Jack asked.

Mac grinned. "Nope. Works out great, doesn't it?"

"And that's not all," Ray added. "I heard from Buck about half an hour ago. He, Chloe, and Tsion are all alive. Chloe's in the hospital, but she should be all right, we hope. They just have to get her out of there."

"Out? Why? Doesn't she need to recover?" Sara asked.

"Yeah…but Carpathia knows Buck's a Christian now, and…some other things. We're afraid the GC is trying to hold her to get something from Buck," Rayford winced.

"Uh oh," Jack agreed.

Sara nodded worriedly. "I hope they get her out all right."  
"Me too." Rayford held his concerned expression for a moment before shaking it off and indicating Mac. "But for now, we have a new brother to encourage. He's not going to let anyone outside know about it, but all of us should still be careful. Mac and I work together anyway, and now that everyone knows you and I, Jack, have 'met' each other at least, since we're all here, I guess we could feasibly convince everyone that we 'did' just meet and are starting to become friends. That way we wouldn't have to be so exclusive. But even that we'd have to keep toned down, just to be safe."

"Agreed," Jack nodded. "What do you think?" he asked, looking to his wife.

She nodded in return. "It makes sense."

Ray nodded. "Great. But for now, Mac and I should get to breakfast before we start looking suspicious."

* * *

Jack called back not long after that, and while Daniel talked to him, Sam answered her own phone--it was Simon. He had discovered the marks as well, after seeing a few of his believing neighbors once he'd gone home. Soon, on the base, the believers were gathering in the corridors and in each others' work spaces, gawking at their marks in excitement. It was causing a buzz across the entire Christian community.

It still hadn't calmed down by the next afternoon, when Sam left before the others to get to the church--or what was left of it. Simon was there as he'd said he'd be, parked at the edge of the lot and pacing around his small car. As she pulled in she saw what he'd meant. Practically the entire building was down, except for half of a few of the inner brick walls that were still standing. But even they were crumbling. The fallen trees at the edges of the parking lot didn't help the scene look any better.

Sam pulled into a spot beside him and jumped out, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her tightly in return. After a moment, he kissed her, and then they were just holding on again, just happy that they were both alive. Both of them were silent for a few moments, and it was Simon who broke it.

"You know…sometimes I almost feel guilty."

She pulled back and looked at him. "For what?"

He smiled a bit. "For being in a relationship when I have a congregation to take care of."

"There are plenty of married pastors out there," she reminded him. "There's nothing wrong with having relationships or family."

"No…and I _have_ prayed, and the Lord hasn't told me not to be involved with you…but there's always the human side of me that wonders, sometimes, if I'm doing the right thing, especially in a time like this."

"I know what you mean," she sighed. She often had similar thoughts, wondering if what they were doing made any sense at all. Then she quirked a smile. "This is a really strange time to be having this conversation, though."

Simon smiled at her again then. "I know; I'm sorry. But I've prayed more today than I have in a long while…and unless you have any other concerns, I don't see the need for more conversation."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated. "I mean…that this earthquake, these marks…it's all reminded me that we have so little time left." He paused again, and she looked at him, her arms still entwined with his, until he spoke again. "And whatever remaining time God may give us, I want to spend with you."

She smiled. "Are you sure about that?"

"As sure as I could be…if you'll have me."

On impulse, Sam kissed him again. "Of course I will," she told him confidently. Simon's response was to grin and pull her lips back to his.

Disaster had struck again, but they had to trust that it was all part of His plan. They knew it was to get the attention of those who would not believe, lest they die without Christ--for that was the worst of all. Their mission was to stand against the Antichrist and reach as many of those people as possible in the years to come.

Sam knew now that they would do it together.


	30. Fire and Water

Hey ya'll! So sorry it's been almost three weeks since I've updated. I never did get another chance before I friend got here, and then she was here for over two weeks, and of course then I had to get this chapter written. 'That' was fun. I like this chapter for several reasons, but just have to read to see. ;) _Please_ do review so I know what you think and if you're all still with me here, lol. i'd appreciate it very much, and thanks to all of you! I've written an extra long chapter this time, just for you guys. Enjoy:)

Part 3--_The World Takes Sides_

Chapter 30

The rest of the Trib Force SG-1 were the first to get to the church after Sam and Simon. Daniel climbed out of Carolyn Lam's car along with her, Colonel Reynolds, and Seargeant Siler. He and Sam had talked to all of them earlier in the day. Siler had been a little hesitant at first, but Carolyn and Reynolds had been eager. All three had agreed to join the cause. The team now officially had six members.

Carolyn handed him his crutch. Daniel sighed and used it as the four of them made their way to Sam and Simon around smaller pieces of debris Simon must not have had time to clear out of the parking lot. The couple let go of each other and came to meet them. Sam's face conflicted between lingering sadness and a brand new happiness. It didn't take long to figure out what it might be.

"Is there something else going on here besides a church meeting…?" he wondering aloud, fighting a smile.

"You bet there is, buddy," Sam answered readily, flashing the ring on her hand as one of Simon's arms went back around her.

"Déjà vu."

"Déjà vu?" Reynolds asked.

"We were standing about right here when Jack and Sara told us they were getting married," Sam filled in.

"Ah, I see," Simon chuckled. But it only lasted a moment. It was impossible, it seemed, to be as happy as they all had been at that moment well over a year ago, but there were smiles, and hugs, with the congratulations.

Daniel felt relief more than anything. He'd never wanted for the relationship between these two to end painfully, and it would have if they had been forced to leave Simon behind at the midpoint of the Tribulation when they left Earth. He was glad that they would be happy.

Perhaps half of the congregation showed up over the next several minutes, some early, some on time, some late…but Simon waited before beginning. Daniel agreed with that. Many of them looked sad, probably because of a lost loved one or friend, but most of them also expressed hope, and not only on their faces. It was displayed in the mark of God that graced most of their foreheads.

Finally Simon spoke. He didn't separate himself from the group, didn't stand on anything. He stood as one of them, with Sam at his side. Everyone in the parking lot had shifted into a large circle, so all could see him and each other.

"Most of us knew that this great earthquake was coming, but we did not know exactly when," he began slowly. "It was so with the rapture, and also, just as with the rapture, most of us have lost someone, or someone we know has lost someone."

Daniel swallowed, thinking of Cassie, and he saw Sam cross her arms and take in a breath.

"Unfortunately, this time I cannot assure you that everyone who is gone is in heaven. Many of them are not. They did not know Christ. But why? I know all of you are wondering that. Why so much destruction? The answer: To get our attention--the attention of those who still don't believe. The scientists of this world said that a worldwide earthquake was impossible, yet it happened, and it had with a fury. What more proof of the existence of God should a person need? There will be many who come to faith because of this event, and because of that, we should rejoice. But there will still be so many who reject God. Our purpose now is still to reach them."

Unsurprisingly, his mind wandered to Vala at that statement. Again he fervently prayed that she would accept the truth before it was too late.

"And now we have a new tool for our purpose," Simon continued. "These marks our Lord has given us to identify ourselves to each other--and apparently only to each other. I imagine that in the future they will help us more than we can ever imagine now…"

He didn't continue for much longer, finally calling those who had not yet accepted Christ to do so. A few of the several there who were not believers left, or just stood there, but others prayed where they stood. Daniel marveled and praised God as he plainly saw the mark appearing on the foreheads of their new brothers and sisters.

"Wow…" Siler said quietly from next to him. Daniel smiled and glanced in the technician's direction.

"It amazing, isn't it?"

Siler nodded in agreement as Carolyn grinned.

"It sure is," she added. But behind the happiness was worry, and he knew that she, too, was still worried about their friends back at the SGC, such as her father, who were not believers.

* * *

"Another month?" Daniel protested. 

Carolyn leaned on an arm against the infirmary bed he was sitting on. "You've been on it too much--especially earlier this week just after the quake. Before I clear you for active duty I have to be sure that leg is going to hold up. As it is now, no, I don't think I'll be able to do that for another month."

"But--"

"Daniel, listen. Don't fly off the handle at me. That's the pessimistic prediction. It could be less than that, and it probably will be, at least by some, but it won't be any longer than that, all right? I promise--as long as you stay off it when you're not in therapy. "

Daniel sighed and took his crutch from her as he slipped off the bed, forcing himself not to wince when the twinge in his leg flared. She was right. "It's a good thing Landry assigned Reynolds to SG-1, other wise they'd be grounded until then."

Reynolds's team had been only three ever since the rapture, and as it turned out, both of the other two had been killed in the earthquake. Only of them had been a believer. The colonel was still a bit shaken, but was still ready and willing to be a part of the Tribulation Force SG-1. It was only by chance--or was it?--that he was now part of the official SG-1 as well. Two years ago, that would have caused concern, because he would have outranked Sam and landry would have been forced to make him the commander of the team even though Sam had more experience…but thankfully, Sam had been promoted since then. Now, it would be a similar situation to when Cameron Mitchell had joined the team.

Daniel had to stop those thoughts there. If he thought about Mitchell, he would think of everyone else who had gone in the rapture or died since. He just had to remember that he would see them again in heaven when this was all over.

"Yep, and…" The doctor glanced at her watch. "I was off duty five minutes ago and if we don't hurry we'll be late for the Trib Force meeting".

Daniel glanced at his own watch. "Oh! Right, thanks." From there, they went to his office, where Sam, Reynolds, and Siler were already waiting.

"There you are," Sam commented as they came in.

"That was my fault," Carolyn admitted once they'd sat down.

Daniel shrugged. "And to begin, in other news I'll be back on active duty in about a month, give or take, and Sam's getting married next week. Anything else?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, actually. We've got the details on the wedding. Simon asked the minister of another church nearby that hasn't converted into an Enigma Babylon congregation to do the wedding, and the wedding itself will be in the park next Saturday."

"Though unfortunately, Jack and Sara won't be here," Daniel filled in.

"There's that," she winced. There was no chance of the O'Neills getting out of New Babylon and all the way to the states now, what with all of the destruction and the beginning reconstruction.

"I could film it with a video camera and send the video to them," Siler offered.

Sam nodded to him. "I was going to ask if someone wouldn't mind; thank you."

"And we can't forget the memorial service tomorrow," Reynolds reminded them quietly. There was to be a ceremony in the 'gate room for those SGC personnel or family that had been killed in the earthquake. That meant it included Cassie.

"Right…" Daniel nodded. He glanced at Sam, who suddenly seemed a little nervous. This time, it was she who would be speaking. He knew it wasn't the first time for her, but he didn't envy her the position, either. But they would be there for her, though none of them were looking forward to it.

* * *

The memorial service went as smoothly as something of its nature could. Sam held together through it, but broke into tears again for the first time in days, afterwards. Daniel stood with her in an abandoned side corridor near the 'gate room where she had run to, and hugged her to him until she could compose herself. She loved Simon, but at that moment what she'd needed was a friend. 

After that day, they were all busy with cleaning and repairs from the earthquake. Their houses were still standing, but there were minor damages to most of them. Luckily hers had escaped much more than being turned completely upside-down on the inside. It was larger than Simon's, anyway, so it was the one they had decided they would live in together once they were married. This brought on a whirlwind of hurried cleaning that lasted all week, blending into one long rush. She hardly saw her friends those several days, except when they were helping her with preparations for the wedding.

Then there was the wedding itself.

It was surreal. She had been engaged before, but had never gotten this far. If one could ignore the rubble of surrounding buildings, the park was beautiful. All of them had worked to clean it up and scraped together enough foldable and lawn chairs so that the guests didn't have to sit on the ground. The minister stood under a blossoming tree, and occasionally pink flowers fell around them as they said their vows.

Sam couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding. All of their friends with there. Part of it felt bittersweet because of their missing friends--both those with the Lord and those simply unable to be there--but it was still wonderful. She was more thrilled than anything that she was even able to fit into her mother's wedding dress, which had been in her attic for years. She only wished that her father could be there to see her in it.

Because neither Jacob nor Jack O'Neill (her second choice) could be present, Daniel was granted the privilege of giving away the bride, and Vala and Carolyn were bridesmaids. But none of it seemed real until she and Simon arrived at her house, where he scooped her up and carried her over the threshold, both grinning.

And even then it was all too good to be true. All Sam could do was praise God that even after such catastrophe, again, there was still happiness, faith, hope, and love.

* * *

In the roller coaster of happenings just after the earthquake, Jack almost forgot that Tsion Ben-Judah had announced on his website his wish to gather all 144,000 witnesses in Jerusalem. Those were all of the new Jewish believers since the rapture. Their number was prophesied in the Bible, and Tsion himself was one of them. 

Surprisingly, Carpathia had gotten wind of this and agreed. It had to have something to do with his attempt to keep up his 'tolerant' front. Yeah right. But whatever motive the Potentate had, Teddy Kollek Stadium was reserved for an entire weekend only a couple of months from now. Granted, it wasn't something he had specific reason to attend himself, not being Jewish, but Carpathia was even going to have it televised. This was going to be interesting. The Antichrist had to have something up his sleeve, but there was no telling what. For now they could only wait. Jack knew he was looking forward to hearing Ben-Judah speak.

Further on the plus side of things, Mac McCullum discovered another believer working for Carpathia. His name was David Hassid, and he worked with security and was a genius when it came to computers. There was no telling how valuable that would come to be.

The month after the quake passed relatively quickly, as reconstruction and healing began around the world. Word came from the states that Chloe Steele Williams had been successfully located and was recovering. She was even pregnant. As Gomer Pyle would say: surprise, surprise, surpise. Daniel recovered, too. Jack was relieved when he heard that his friend was put back on active duty, because he knew the poor man had been going stir crazy. According to Carolyn Lam he might always have some residual pain in the lower part of the limb--the part that had been broken--but he was fully capable. Jack knew how that went; his knees were the same way, even though that wasn't all from old injuries.

As for the new Docketts, he heard Sam and Simon were getting on quite well. Of course, she still couldn't tell him anything about the stargate or the existence of space travel and aliens until they all left earth in less than two years, but so far he reportedly seemed oblivious to anything strange. That would probably change before the time came to let him in on everything, but Jack was sure they'd be fine. After all, he and Sara were just fine now, even she didn't know the truth but 'knew' there were things he couldn't tell her yet. Jack was just happy that Sam was happy.

And speaking of happy, all of them, in the states or New Babylon were all thrilled at the number of those seeking the truth after the earthquake jarred them to awareness. Back in the eastern Tribulation Force safe house, Ben-Judah, Buck, and Chloe spent hours a day responding to the e-mail or curious and searching people and corresponding with new believers through Ben-Judah's web site. Sam, Daniel, and Simon had been drafted to help, and back in Colorado the three of them were eagerly assisting.

The only damper on anything was the impending judegements. The seventh seal judgment would usher in the seven trumpet judegements. Tsion Ben-Judah reported via internet to the world that the first of these would be hail, fire, and water falling from the sky, as told in Revelation 8:7. Jack was curious to know what that would look like. But again, only the Lord knew the timing.

Rayford, on the other hand, didn't seem to be worried about that at all. He'd gotten into his head the idea that he had to see Amanda's body, or he wouldn't be able to accept that she was really dead--even though she was in a plane downed in the Tigris River. Jack knew for a fact that he and Sara were the only two who knew about it other than Mac, but Ray had waited a month since the quake to acquire scuba equipment, and was going to go looking. Mac was going with him just to make sure he didn't get himself killed. Jack got the feeling there was more to all of it than that, but it was no use asking. Ray hadn't been very talkative in weeks.

Even so, the two men were heading out to the river tonight, and Jack wasn't going to let them leave without one last shot at talking some sense into Ray. He told Sara to pray, left her with Gavin in their quarters in the underground GC shelter, and hurried out to the chopper pad where Ray and Mac were covertly loading the scuba gear onto a helicopter.

Rayford glanced up just long enough to register O'Neill's presence. "If you think you can talk me out of this, you're wrong, Jack."

Mac's eyes rolled. "Believe me; I've tried too many times already."

"I know," Jack sighed. "But come on, Ray; it's the _Tigris_ for cryin out loud. You and Mac both could get swept a hundred miles downstream before you could yell for help." A bit of an exaggeration, but it illustrated the point. "We don't need to lose you too."

"I'll be fine," he said without looking, tossing another bag of gear into the back of the chopper.

"This is insane, you know that?"

Ray turned and looked at him then, finally, his gaze so penetrating it almost made Jack want to take a step backward. "I have to do this, Jack." That was all he said, but it was all he needed to say. Jack had seen that kind of determination before. He'd felt it himself on occasion. There was no point in trying to stop him from going, but he just wished that 'where' his friend was going wasn't as dangerous as it very well could be.

Jack swallowed. "You if you're not careful out there that I'll kick your tail, right?"

A slight quirking of one small corner of Rayford's mouth that might have turned into a small smile in other circumstances was his answer. "I know." Then he climbed up into his side of the chopper cockpit and shut the door.

Mac stopped before going around to the other side to get in. "I'll look out for him," he promised.

"I know you will," Jack said, shaking his head. "Just bring him back in one piece, okay?"

The other pilot nodded grimly and climbed into the aircraft himself. O'Neill backed up as the blades began to spin, and watched the helicopter lift into the air and disappear into the night sky.

* * *

Drying her hands on a dish towel after washing them, Sam stepped out of the kitchen and down the hall to the study, where Simon was typing away at an e-mail on his computer, as usual. Because he also had a congregation to take care of, he didn't have as much time to help out with the responses on Ben-Judah's web site as she and Daniel did, but when he got the chance, he did it with a passion. She knew he enjoyed helping other find the truth as much as the rest of them did. 

Sam leaned on the doorframe and waited until the message was sent before speaking. "Dinner's ready," she announced.

Her husband's head whipped around in surprise. "Sam." He shook his head and smiled. "Sorry. Didn't hear you come in."

She chuckled and came up behind him. "Of course you didn't. You were in the zone." He stood up and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Come on. I've got lasagna in there."

Simon kissed her briefly. "It's funny. Before I married you, I never knew you were such a good cook."

She shrugged. "There was no reason to do it a whole lot just for me. But yeah, mom taught me everything she knew before she passed away."

"Then I am in debt to your mother," he nodded, keeping one hand behind her back as they headed for the table. Once they were sitting down and had said thanks for the meal, he glanced out the window. "Looks like rain."

Sam eyed the dark clouds in the sky with indifference. "We need it; it's been kind of dry around here lately."

"Though it's not as bad as Jerusalem," Simon pointed out.

"Okay, okay, yeah," she admitted. No rain had fallen in Jerusalem since the rapture--a judgment God himself had put on the city through the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall. And none 'would' fall until Jesus returned.

"So how'd I do?" she asked, noticing that he'd started in on his lasagna.

He smiled again now. "It's wonderful, of course." He always said that, but the best part was that she knew he meant it. She almost regretted not having a husband to cook for until now, but she didn't regret waiting for the right man.

Sam was about to start eating herself, when she noticed pinging noises coming from outside. "What…?" She looked out the window again and saw that it _was_ raining now. Or wait. That wasn't rain.

Simon looked and saw what she did. "It's hailing…"

"Do you think--?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Daniel was happy to be off that crutch, and even though his leg was still bothersome on bad days, it wasn't a major issue. In a couple of days SG-1 would go on its first mission since he'd been officially put back on active duty, which meant his first trip through the 'gate since the outbreak of the war. Though he would be happier if both Vala and General Landry weren't still being stubborn, even after the quake. 

"You can't say that it definitely proves what the Bible says is true. Earthquakes happen all the time, Daniel," Vala protested. She was in his office again, 'discussing' things with him. She was trying to argue; he was trying _not_ to. She was probably just bored. She'd had even less to do on base since Teal'c…he nipped that thought in the bud and sighed.

"_Worldwide _ones?" he pointed out, not looking up.

"Well…why not?"

He shook his head. "You heard the scientific reports just like I did. That was supposed to be impossible. But it happened."

Vala's lips pursed, but she said nothing. Back at the beginning, she'd had plenty of defenses and often reasonable-sounding arguments. Recently, she had less and less to talk back with. He hoped that meant she was starting to understand.

She plopped down in a nearby chair and spun once or twice. "Fine then. If you know exactly what's going to happen--what's next?"

"Hail, fire, and blood falling from the sky," he answered without a thought. He began shutting down his computer; it was getting late into the afternoon and he planned on going home.

Vala snorted with laughter. "No, Daniel, really. What does it say comes next?"

Daniel glanced at her. "That's it."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm serious." The computer shut down, and he turned off the monitor and picked up his grandmother's Bible and some work papers he needed and headed for the door.

Vala followed him. "Really? But everything until now has made sense--wars, famine, plagues, death, earthquake…why suddenly something so obscure?"

"Because He can. He's God, and everyone needs to know it."

She crossed her arms as she walked. "And you don't think that's cruel?"

"It's the only way that's sure to get people's attention. And He wants everyone to know the truth." They reached the elevator, and when it opened he stepped inside. "Good night." But she stepped in with him. "What are you doing?"

"I want to talk some more; is there a reason why I can't ride up with you?"

He shrugged. "No, I guess not."

The elevator doors closed and the car started to move. Vala was silent for a moment. "So…you really do still believe that book is predicting what's happening."

Daniel glanced down at the Bible in his hands. "Yeah, I do. It's kind of hard not to--for me, anyway." If only she would understand! He didn't want to spend eternity without her. The thoughts on her started to go farther, but he shut them down before he had to admit anything else to himself.

The first elevator stopped, and he signed out before they got onto the second one that would take them all the way to the surface.

"So when do you think this is supposed to happen--this stuff falling out of the sky?" There wasn't really any sarcasm in her voice, for once. That was a good thing.

"We can't know for sure. It's all in His timing. Kind of like the weather. We can predict, but we never really know far in advance what's going to happen and when."

She shrugged. "True." She walked out to the parking lot, debating a bit more. Halfway to his car, he felt something stinging his head and neck. She seemed to be feeling it too, because she frowned.

"What the--" He glanced up, away from Vala, and realized that pint-sized balls of ice were bouncing off of them. And it was a lot darker than it had been a minute ago.

She blinked. "This is--this is hail, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" He frowned. "Maybe we should go back inside." They were at his car now, and that was when the BB-sized pellets started to get bigger. Now they were as big as quarters, and they _hurt_.

"Ow!" Vala yelped. "On second thought, maybe we don't have enough time."

Grimacing from the stings, Daniel pulled out his keys and quickly unlocked the driver's-side door of his vehicle and opened it. "Get in, hurry," he instructed. Vala wasted no time in obeying, and climbed in and slid over into the passenger's seat. Then Daniel ducked in and shut the door. Inside, the sound of the hail was even more pronounced as the pieces of ice pinged into the top of the car. As they watched, the hailstones grew to golf-ball size, some as big as baseballs.

"Are we going to be safe in here…?" Vala asked worriedly.

"It doesn't matter; it's too late to run back to the entrance now; we'd probably be dead before we got halfway there." It was true, too. More and more of them were getting larger. He already saw several basketballs falling here and there. The ground was covered in ice. They would never be able to run on it. All they could do was wait.

Vala looked at him. "And don't even try to tell me that this is what the bible predicted. Every planet has its freak hailstorms."

Daniel's eyes rolled. "Look, I don't know about you, but _I'm _praying we make it out of this alive."

"Even if he _did_ exist, he wouldn't listen to _me_," she snorted.

"You'd be surprised."

Something slammed into the back of the car. It bounced and jerked, and Vala shouted in surprise and ducked. Daniel ducked over her protectively. He glanced up after a moment and realized that one of the bigger hailstones had landed on top of the trunk and rolled off. There was now a basketball-sized dent in the back surface of the vehicle.

"Uh, Daniel…."

At Vala's voice he looked forward again, out the windshield. The sky was suddenly a lot brighter than it had been when this had started, and it took him a moment to see why.

Half of the hailstones now falling were in flames. There was no doubt now that this was the first trumpet judgment of Revelation.

* * *

When the fire began mingling with the hail was when they were sure that this was it. Sam and Simon could hear the hailstones rumbling on the roof, and see them rolling off and to the ground through the windows. The fire-engulfed stone hit the grass, which burst into flame and burned in moments, before more hail put out the fire and covered the now-blackened yard. Several of the trees along their street also burned. All of the foliage on them went up in smoke before, again, the fire was put out by more hail. 

Relatively protected in their home, Sam stood with her husband by the front windows, watching with a mixture of awe and horror at the sight. Every bit of grass they could see was burned, and many trees. And still the hail fell.

* * *

Another hailstone crashed through the windshield. Vala screamed. The baseball rolled onto the floorboard as more of the smaller stone blew in through the opening, stinging them again. 

"Get in the back!" Daniel yelled, pushing her to climb back in-between the seats. She went, and once she was back he climbed over himself, and hunkered down beside her behind the front seats. The hail had made the air outside that was now coming in cold, but he doubted that was the only reason Vala was shaking. He swallowed and wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him gratefully.

"What's happening?" she whispered fearfully.

"God's trying to get your attention," he answered.

* * *

"Jack!" 

At his name, Jack hurried out of the bathroom, finished with his shower and only half dressed. Sara was standing in front of the television, staring at the screen, and Gavin was crying in his crib. When he too saw what was on the news, he forgot about putting on a shirt.

Open-mouthed, he picked up the boy to quiet him, and watched the reports coming in from around the world. Outside, up on the surface, it was hailing. Everywhere. And fire was falling with it, though no-one knew how or from where. But they knew.

* * *

A spattering sound joined the pounding of the hail, and Daniel and Vala looked up and out the windows. With the hail and fire, it fell like rain, splashing onto the back window above them and on hood outside of the hole where the windshield had been. Outside, it soaked the hail covering the ground. But it wasn't rain; it was red. 

Vala shivered. "What _is_ that? It can't be--"

"It's blood."


	31. Splashdown

Thank you so much for letting me you're still here! I hope you'll all continue to review. I love hearing from you and it's very helpful to know what you think of the new chapters. I hope you enjoy this one, and have a great day:)

Chapter 31

As the blood, fire, and hail continued to drops from the heavens, Sam's arms went around Simon involuntarily. Was it fear? No…it wasn't quite that intense. Her husband held her to him in response, and both stared out the windows. She realized that what she was feeling was a deep sense of peace and relief. If she had ever had any doubts before, now she could know for sure that she--and her friends and family--were on the right side of this war.

* * *

"Ray and Mac are out in this," Sara said suddenly.

Jack grimaced. "Crap, you're right…I don't think they're back yet." He handed Gavin over to Sara and started to grab the phone, but then realized the news reports were changing. The hail, fire, and blood were stopping, all over the world. The phenomenon was over. He grabbed the phone off its hook and dialed Rayford's cell phone number. It used satellites, not cell towers, so he should be able to get through.

At first there was nothing. Sara paced with Gavin, seemingly praying, while Jack waited. For several minutes it rang, but no one picked up. Finally, there was an answer. It was Rayford, with the sound of whirring chopper blades in the background.

"_Hello_?"

"Ray! Are you okay? We just saw what happened on the news."

Steele sighed. "_Yeah, we're fine. It's colder out here than it's probably been in a few thousand years, with all the ice on the ground, but we're okay. We had just gotten back in the chopper when it started. We're on our way back now._"

"Good, great. So…?"

There was an audible swallow from the other end of the line. "_Ah…_"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Ray. Just know I'm here for you, okay?"

"_Yeah, yeah, I know, thanks...and it's ok. We uhm…we found her_."

Jack let out a breath. "I'm so sorry, Ray."

"_We went through this a month ago, Jack. Thank you, but it's okay. I'll be all right…eventually_." Well, he certainly didn't _sound_ all right at the moment, but who was he to argue? He couldn't get Rayford to talk if he didn't want to.

"Right. Just be safe getting back here."

"_We will, thanks. I'll talk to you soon_." With that, he hung up. Jack told Sara what Steele had told him, then turned back to the phone and dialed another number.

* * *

Daniel wasn't sure at first if the hail had really stopped, because his ears were sore and ringing from the pounding on the top of the car. Vala was rubbing at her ears. Another moment, and they both looked up together, out the windows. It had stopped, all right--all of it. The sun was coming out again, and the red-stained hail ice covering the ground was already melting.

"Is it over?" Vala questioned anyway.

Daniel sighed. "Yeah. That's over. He reached over and opened the door next to him. Stiffly, he unfolded himself and climbed carefully out of the vehicle. He almost slipped on what of the ice was still there, and held onto the side of the car as his right leg ached from being folded up for so long in there. With his other hand, he helped Vala out.

She stepped out and stretched, but her eyes were sweeping around the view of Colorado's mountains from where they were standing. So many sections of the greenery were blackened, as far as they could see. Every bit of grass…a huge sections of the trees covering the mountains. A third, to be exact, Daniel knew.

"And this happened all over the world--at once," he muttered to himself.

Vala swallowed. "Daniel, your planet…

He glanced at her. "What about it?"

"If this happened everywhere…." But she didn't seem to have anything else to say than that; she only looked out at the evident destruction, shaking her head sadly.

"This happened on other planets too, I imagine," he said. "Everything else has spread, so this probably did too. It's not just earth that looks like this now. Not that it matters; it'll all be restored once Jesus returns."

She glanced at him. "That's what it says in the Bible?"

"Yep," he nodded.

"Which means that of course you believe it," she observed.

Daniel chuckled a little. "Yeah. Though I honestly don't see why, by now, you _don't_. I mean, really, what more proof do you need?" he asked, motioning to the melting ice, and the blood seeping into the blackened ground on the edge of the parking lot and disappearing.

"I--" She stopped, though he wasn't sure why, and turned away. "Let's just go back inside," she suggested.

He looked the back of her head for a moment, then nodded and took gentle hold of her arm. "Okay; I don't guess I should be driving home today, anyway." Vala looked at him again as he stepped away from his car, which led to embarrassment when he stumbled over his aching leg. The twinge was making an recurring appearance, to some degree, and Daniel had to take several limping steps before it shook itself out again and he could walk normally back into the base.

Halfway down the second elevator, his cell phone rang, and he was glad for caller ID. If he hadn't seen who it was, he might not have answered at that particular moment.

"Hey, are you guys okay over there?" he asked immediately.

"_Nice to hear your voice too, Daniel_," the general sniggered.

He sighed and smiled to himself. They were okay over there, all right. "Sorry, Jack. Hi, how are you?"

"_Peachy. Everybody else is fine too. You_?"

"Yeah, we're okay. Sam and Simon are at home, Vala and I got caught outside and had to dive into my car, and everybody else was in the base, so yeah, we're fine."

"_Good. It hope this doesn't interfere with the whole thing in Jerusalem…_"

Daniel shrugged while Vala looked at him curiously. The elevator opened and they stepped out into the corridor. "No, this shouldn't, but if the next ones start, it might." He couldn't be specific anymore, not right in the middle of the hallway.

"_Right. What's next, anyway_?"

He glanced around. There were too many people here, and most of those he saw passing did _not _have the mark of the believer on their forehead.

"Uhm, not much. Hey, I gotta go."

"_What? Oh…okay, talk to you later_."

"Later." Daniel slipped the phone back into his pocket just as General Landry came down the steps out of the control room and crossed the corridor toward them.

"Did you just come in from out there?" he asked.

Vala shuddered. "You bet we did."

Daniel nodded. "Did you hear what was going on?"

"On the radio," the general confirmed. "And the jaffa have already called in to let Carpathia know that it happened on their planets as well."

"So it really was everywhere?" Vala asked.

Landry frowned. "Just like everything else since the disappearances." Since he could probably already see that they were fine, there was nothing else for the general to ask of them, it seemed, because he turned back to the control room then. Daniel got Vala moving and steered her down the corridor. She didn't seem to really know what she was doing at the moment.

They had barely reached the first bend when Carolyn Lam came hurrying around it and barely avoided ramming into them. Colonel Reynolds was right behind her.

"There you are!" she sighed in relief. "I thought you'd left--"

"Well, I was going to, but then the hail started."

"You were out there?" Reynolds said incredulously.

"Both of us were," Daniel told him. He was going to elaborate, when he saw Siler round a corner just down the corridor and waved him over. "We were stuck in my car the whole time," he finished once they were all there.

"What did it look like?" Siler asked curiously.

Daniel and Vala explained what it had been like, and all three in their audience listened with rapt attention. Carolyn snorted when they were through.

"One of the few relatively harmless, yet interesting to see…ones, and we miss it. Great."

* * *

Thankfully, "the strange natural phenomenon", as Potentate Carpathia and the Global Community leaders were calling it, did not affect 'gate travel, and the next day SG-1 set out as planned--Sam, Daniel, Vala, and Reynolds. As usual when they had a scheduled rendezvous with their fellow believers, they completed their tasks as quickly as possible, and made their twisting journey to the Tok'ra's planet.

Once there, they noticed that, with nothing to burn, the effects of the recent judgment were only noticeably by the fact that the sand was still wet to some degree. They ringed down into the tunnels on their own. Freya met them there, and they enjoyed a short visit with her and few of the other Tok'ra. Anise informed them that due to the earthquake, several of the tunnels had collapsed. There had been casualties. They had had to re-grow them, so as a result, the former ascendeds were still living in their tents on the surface.

SG-1 thanked her and the other and headed across the underground compound to the other set of rings. Reynolds, never having been here, was still looking around in fascination. Back up on the surface, on the other side of the sand mounds surrounding the 'gate and hiding the encampment, a few of the Abydonians were milling near the rings when they arrived.

"Danyer!" One of the figures jumped up and down and waved, and Daniel realized it was Skaara, who was now running toward him. He only had time to take a few quicker steps forward before his brother-in-law practically tackled him. Daniel laughed and hugged him tight.

"Hey! Long time no see…okay, a year and a half or so…"

Skaara grinned and let go. "But much longer since we could touch at all," he reminded him.

"Oh, so _that's_ why you were trying to squeeze the guts out of me?" he teased.

"Perhaps so. It's is good to see you again, brother."

They talked for hours. He met Ashada, and spoke with her as well, and saw Kasuf again as well. It seemed the conversation would never wind down, but finally Skaara motioned for him to quiet.

"Danyer, I know you cannot stay but maybe another of your hours, so I must tell you something. There is someone else here that wishes to meet with you. She did not make herself known the last time your friend came here because you were not with them. She wished to wait until you came, and you are here now."

Daniel blinked at Skaara from his seat on the floor of the tent. "Uhm…okay, sure, who?"

Skaara stood and moved toward the flap of the tent. "I will tell her she may come now.." he slipped out.

"I wonder what that was all about," Sam said curiously.

"You're telling me. The 'she' part certainly interests me," Vala added.

Daniel glared at her for a moment, but stopped when the tent flap open again, and Skaara stepped in behind another woman in homespun robes. With her dark hair, he at first mistook her for another Abydonian, until he realized that her skin was too light. And that he recognized her. Vala's eyes were just as wide as his were.

She whispered to him out of the corner of her mouth. "Uhm, isn't that--"

"Yeah," he said back quietly, then stood. "Oh my G--my gosh," he corrected himself, before he said something he shouldn't. "It's you…you're here too?"

The woman stood straight and confident, but she was still shorter than he was, about Vala's height or a little less, perhaps. Her smooth, wavy black hair fell halfway down her back, much longer than he remember, but then again now that she was physical, it could grow and had had several months to do so.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is it not obvious that I am, Daniel Jackson?"

"I-I, I'm sorry, it's just that I never expected…I mean, we didn't know…"

"We had no idea what happened to you," Vala filled in, standing as well.

Daniel shook his head. "Or that you'd become a Christian since the rapture, of course. But anyway…please, just cal me Daniel. What should we call you?"

She smiled "Here, they simply call me by the name Morgan, and you may as well, if that suites you--Daniel."

It was Morgan le Faye, the Ancient, standing right here in front of them, in the flesh. "Yes, of course, that's fine. I really never expected to see you again though. What happened to you after you were taken from Atlantis by the others."

Morgan sighed and sat, giving Daniel and Vala the cue that they should be reseated, as well, which they did. "I was severely reprimanded. I was kept from taking part in or even observing any activity on the lower planes. I was forced to stay in ours. I would not have heard the truth of Jesus Christ if others had not told me themselves."

"And I was so sure you were going to get yourself kicked out," he smiled.

"They came very close to doing just that, but it doesn't not matter because now they have. I do not regret it, though. No matter what I thought or did in times past, now I really am part of a noble cause," she smiled in return.

They did not, as Skaara had predicted, have much more time to converse before they were forced to leave, but Daniel promise to speak more with Morgan the next time they were there, just the two of them. Vala didn't seem very happy about that.

* * *

After the hail, fire, and blood, the number of skeptics around the world diminished considerably. More people than ever flooded the internet and Ben-Judah's website with requests to be told the truth about God, because they really wanted to know. Daniel, Sam, and Simon helped as much as they could to answer, and eventually had to recruit Carolyn, Reynolds, and Siler as well. Jack helped out from time to time, when he could. There wasn't as much confusion and indifference as there had been after the rapture. The world was taking sides.

The conditions after the judgment did impede travel for a few days, but it was nothing serious, and the date for the meeting of the witnesses in Jerusalem did not change. SG-1, Jack and Sara and Rayford and the others in New Babylon, and the Chicago contingent of the original Tribulation Force continued on with life as usual--however 'usual' it was or wasn't. But two days before they knew that their friends in Chicago were to depart for Jerusalem, something else happened, and it happened fast.

Daniel woke up in the middle of the night, thirsty, and while walking back to his bedroom noticed that he had left his computer on, and realized that it was beeping. He had new e-mail. It was only one, originally from Rayford Steele to Buck and Jack, that Jack seemed to have forwarded to him, Sam, Siler, Carolyn, and Reynolds. It was about noon in New Babylon, and obviously he'd wanted to make sure that everyone knew whatever it was. He opened it, took a quick look, and ran back for the living room.

"It's happening! Turn on the TV. This is going to be some ride!" Ray had written.

He flipped on his television and hurriedly found a news station. It wasn't hard. As soon as he realized what was going on, he called Sam to make sure that she and Simon were up and watching.

* * *

Sam was glad that there was a phone on the end table by the couch; she didn't have to get up from her comfortable spot snuggled up next to Simon. Both of them had woken up a few minutes before, gotten the forwarded message from Jack, and turned on the television. It was Daniel on the phone, and when he found out that they were, n fact, watching, he hung back up. All of them wanted to be able to listen to this.

Apparently, only two hours ago astronomers had discovered a brand-new comet that had never been seen or tracked before. They had no idea how it could have gotten so close to Earth without being seen by sensing equipment, or, for that matter, how it was moving so fast. But it was on a collision course with Earth.

"Déjà vu," she muttered to herself.

"Hmm?" Simon asked.

"Nothing…" _Just that my friends and I once single-handedly saved Earth from being smashed to bits by an asteroid a hundred times that size, and I can't tell you about it yet._ Though this was not a meteor, it was more like a comet. It was reported to be of a more chalky consistency, perhaps sandstone, and irregularly shaped.

The anchorman gave a solemn, yet urgent report. "Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to put this in perspective. This object is about to enter Earth's atmosphere. Scientists have not determined its makeup, but if--as it appears--it _is_ less dense than granite, the friction resulting from entry will make it burst into flames.

"Once subject to Earth's gravitational pull, it will accelerate at thirty-two feet per second squared. As you can see from these pictures, it is immense. But until you realize its size, you cannot fathom the potential destruction on the way. GC astronomers estimate it at no less than the mass of the entire Appalachian mountain range. It has the potential to split the Earth or knock it from its orbit.

"The global community Aeronautics and Space administration projects the collision at approximately 9:00 AM, Central Standard Time. They anticipate the best possible scenario, that it will take place in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean."

"Tidal waves are expected to engulf coasts on both sides of the Atlantis for up to fifty miles inland. Coastal areas are being evacuated as we speak. Crews of ocean-going vessels are being plucked from their ships by helicopter, though it is unknown how many can be moved to safety in time. Experts agree the impact on marine life will be inestimable.

"His Excellency Potentate Nicolae Carpathia has issued a statement verifying that his personnel could not have known earlier about this phenomenon. While Potentate Carpathia says he is confident he has the firepower to destroy the object, he has been advised that the unpredictability of fragments is too great a risk, especially considering that the falling mountain is on course to land in the ocean." (News report and e-mail are taken directly from the fourth Left Behind book "Soul Harvest")

Simon headed straight for the computer after that, and Sam followed. They saw that the Trib Force was already on Ben-Judah's website, spreading the word about the truth of this event. This was the second trumpet judgment of Revelation 8:8-9. "The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." (ESV translation)

That was what was about to happen. Ben-Judah proclaimed it on his web-site, urging those reading the message not to be fooled by whatever Carpathia and the governments of the world would make of it now and later, to try to make it appear as if the Bible was wrong or that the event had nothing to do with prophecy. He urged them to accept Christ before it was too late. Both Sam and Simon took time in front of the computer screen to pray for those who had or might come to the Lord through this--especially for their unsaved friends.

The GC military had cameras on aircraft hovering in strategically chosen places, to film impact. The thousand-mile-square mountain cosmic material--finally determined to be mostly sulfur--would be making the biggest splash in history. It did indeed burst into glorious flames on entry of the atmosphere, just as the Bible promised. It blocked the sun on its way down, pushed clouds aside, and made hurricane-force winds around it for the last hour it fell.

SG-1 and all other field teams were called in to be at the SGC, just in case. Sam had to leave Simon, but he promised he would be all right. He went to a gathering of some other men at the church at one of their houses, where they would watch the event together, praying. Sam hurried to the base in the dark, the last to arrive, and when it turned out that there was nothing Stargate command could do about the situation (which she and the others could have told them anyway) SG-1 gathered in Vala's room on invitation, to watch the splashdown on her high-definition television--a definite upgrade from the old tube she'd had when she had first come to Earth and been introduced to TV.

The six of them watched with mixed emotions as the mountain hit the surface of the ocean, sending up geysers, water spouts, and waves miles high. Several of the GC planes went down, and of course every ship still stuck out in the open Atlantic was overtaken by the waves. The footage from the planes that survived would be played over and over again for weeks on end.

Fifty miles inland, as predicted, on all sides of the Atlantic Ocean, damage was so extensive that travel in any form there was interrupted for weeks. The rally of the witnesses in Jerusalem was postponed for ten. By that time it would be more than two years since the rapture. And more judegements were still to come.


	32. Contamination

This chapter's a little long, ya'll, sorry, but I got going today and couldn't stop, lol. Hopefully we're getting to the good part, and I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so please do let me know what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 32

The next chance SG-1 had to check in on the Tok'ra and their other fellow believers was the week after the splashdown. Reports had been coming in from all over the quadrant that those comets had fallen everywhere—one on every planet they had contact with. The effects weren't as large for all of them, if the population of the planet was smaller and not near the oceans of the planet, but it had happened, and the SGC was sending out relief efforts to the planets where the damage hit hard. Damage control, the counting of casualties, body recovery….Earth was still a mess too, in those areas.

By the time they got back to the Tok'ra's own little desert planet, where the effects of the comets was not felt at all where they lived, Daniel was glad to get away, and to have something to do. The Tok'ra had completed re-growing their own tunnels along with the rest of the extras for the former ascendeds. The large group on the surface was just beginning to move down into the underground shelter when they arrive, so they opted to help.

In helping her move the things from her tent, this gave Daniel the chance to speak with Morgan without being interrupted by anyone else.

"So…we knew each other when I was ascended?" he asked, setting down a crate that held her few belongings.

Looking around the room she had been assigned, still holding onto a large bundle of rough cloth that had been her tent, Morgan answered without looking at him. "It was not so much that we knew each other as we knew who each other were. We did speak briefly on occasion, but when we did it was not always…quite friendly. We did share many of the same views, but you were one of Oma's. I'm sure you must at least know how that was."

He smirked good-naturedly. "Yeah. I know--it wasn't your fault," he assured her as he started to unload the crate. "You were only acting like you'd been taught since ascending, or since whenever Oma started helping others like me to that plane. I guess you didn't know any better."

She set the bundle she held down on the bed--which under the padding was actually a slab of the same crystal the wall was made of, but coming up out of the floor in a corner of the room--and started to help him, placing the things around the small room as she saw fit.

"Perhaps. But I still could have treated you and the others like you better. I could have helped you more on Atlantis. If I had done it sooner maybe I would have had time to tell you before I was pulled away by the others. I _did_ know better. After all, I am what you call an 'Ancient'."

Daniel shrugged. "Yes, but you were also an ascended being then. And we all know what that does to people's stubbornness." He made a hand gesture with his thumb like something going through the roof, and she chuckled lightly. He forced himself not to think about how cute it was. He shook his head once or twice before focusing back in on what she was saying.

"True. I suppose it does do something of the sort. I only wish I had not fallen prey to it."

"Look, Morgan," he sighed. "For all practical purposes, we're family now. There's no hard feelings, I promise." He smiled at her, and when she finally looked at him, she smiled in return.

"You are right," she admitted, finally seeming to feel as if she didn't need to stay half the room away from him and coming closer. "You were right in that we should have interfered when the Ori began to attack this galaxy; that we shouldn't have just sat in our plane watching things go by. It seemed everything you said when you were one of us rang true as well. Maybe that was why none of us preferred you very much. Though…I must admit that whenever I encountered you, though you frustrated me to no end, I was always…disappointed to see you go."

What? Had he heard that right?

"Only disappointed?" he joked uncertainly, but she didn't respond. She looked uncomfortable. "Okay, I'm kidding. Disappointed is better than being glad," he chuckled. Morgan laughed at that, and he laughed with her, but after that came an uncomfortable silence again.

He had to break the silence _somehow_. "So, is that everything?

"Hmm? Oh. Yes, that's everything. There was not much. We have not been on this plane long."

Daniel nodded. "Right…" He paused, not knowing what else to say. There was so much more they could discuss, having both been ascended, but at the moment both of them were clammed up, and he wasn't even entirely sure why.

"You know in the English language today, we have these little things called contractions that make everything a whole lot easier…" He grinned while he said it, to make sure that she knew he was teasing her.

Morgan smiled again. "I know, but I am afraid that I have lived too long to attempt to learn and use them regularly now."

"Aw, come on. Anybody can learn. I'll teach you myself."

"Thank you for the offer, but I will be all right without them," she assured him with a laughing smirk.

He shrugged and smiled. "Your loss."

After that, Daniel spent as much time with Morgan as he could when SG-1 came to visit the Tok'ra and former ascendeds. Once they had gotten past that uncomfortable moment, they could speak freely again. It was a comfort to be able to talk to someone else besides his closer friends, someone outside, and it helped that she was a fellow believer. She was a newer believer, but she helped him in just as many ways to grow in his faith and he helped her.

And it was a welcome, temporary escape from worrying about Vala. For too long Daniel didn't even notice that, while he was becoming closer to Morgan LaFaye, Vala was drifting away again.

* * *

"Two years," Sam sighed, leaning on the table. "Daniel, can you believe it's been two years since the rapture, _and_ the treaty?"

"More than that, really," he said, looking up from his desk.

"Whatever. But over _two_ years. It doesn't seem like that long--sometimes at least. Other times it seems like a lot longer." She grinned. "For example, two years ago I never would have thought I'd be married by now."

"Jack either--and _he_ even has a kid," Daniel replied, giving her a teasing look.

Sam smirked and threw a pencil at him, which hit the bullseye of his forehead and bounced off onto the table. "Don't push it, bucko. That part's not up to us anyway. We _know_ that if we're going to have children it would be better if it was before things got worse, but it'll happen on God's timing if it happens. Besides, we've only been married for three months or so. Give me a break."

Daniel rubbed the pencil mar off his forehead and shrugged. "True. But come on, Sam, I'm your best friend. I have to give a hard time," he smiled.

She just shook her head, but if she was going to say anything else, that chance disappeared when Carolyn Lam burst into the office and ran over to Daniel's desk.

"Whoa, Carolyn, what's going on?" Sam questioned.

"Is something wrong?"

She reached for the radio and switched it on. "Not really, but listen to this." She fiddled with the station dial for a moment before she got a clear signal, and the voice of a newscaster issued from the speakers.

"-at GCASA have determined that this object is similar in size to the recent comet that collided with Earth, and that it is heading toward the planet at approximately the same speed and trajectory, but strangely it has the consistency of rotting wood. Again, there was no way that scientists could have known of its existence until just over a couple of hours ago. It is currently 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and the object is expected to reach our atmosphere at approximately 7:00 p.m."

"That's 5:00 for us," Sam translated to herself, just loud enough for the others to hear as they looked at each other.

"The third trumpet judgment," Daniel said further.

Carolyn nodded grimly. "Exactly. And you can bet that just like the other one, there's one of these things heading toward every populated planet out there."

The newscaster was continuing, and they all quieted to listen. "But there is no cause for alarm. With the make-up of this object being different--far less dangerous--His Excellency Potentate Nicolae Carpathia has been advised that it would be safe to attempt to destroy it or change its course. Her has already pledged to eradicate the threat, and a missile it being prepped for launch as we speak. Stay tuned to this station, and we will keep you informed."

With that, the man signed out, and the station went back to playing music--the hard metal/rock/whatever mix that had unfortunately become popular since the rapture. All of it was bad enough, but much of it was downright blasphemous.

Daniel switched the radio off. "We'd better get to the control room."

Sam nodded. "The general might need us."

"Not that there's anything anyone can do," Carolyn pointed out.

Sam shrugged. "No, but running around trying to find solutions for things like this is what we're paid for. They'll probably be looking to us for a backup if Plan A doesn't work out, and have to at least _look _like we're doing something. Thanks for the heads-up."

The doctor nodded. "No problem. Just keep me posted, okay?"

"You got it," Daniel assured her, standing. Sam headed for the door ahead of him, and Carolyn stated back toward the infirmary. Once in the corridor, he picked up speed to catch up to Sam, but didn't watch for anyone coming down the adjoining corridor at an intersection.

Which was why he ran smack into someone at the corner.

He stumbled back in surpise, and it took a moment to realize it had been Vala, and she was on the floor.

"I'm sorry!" he yelped, holding out an arm to help her up. "Are you ok?"

Vala ignored the offered hand and stood herself, rubbing her head. "I'm fine, thank you." She threw him a look that was almost a glare. "I'm surprised you noticed it was me."

Daniel glanced down the main corridor and saw that Sam must not have seen what happened. There was no-one in sight. He looked back at Vala. "What?"

She crossed her arms. "Well, except for your usual subtle pleading for me to 'see the light', for weeks it's been nothing but Morgan this, Morgan that. I've felt rather neglected, thank you very much."

Daniel blinked. He hadn't been prepared for that. "I-I…Vala, this isn't the time. There's anther meteor heading for the planet."

"More like a big ball of wood, actually, but yes, I've heard. So?"

He sighed and turned the way he'd been going. "Come on." She followed him, but he got the feeling that it was reluctantly. When they arrived, both Sam and Reynolds were there, but General Landry was dismissing them.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked as the two of them cam back out.

"We're not needed," Sam said, crossing her arms.

"Apparently the general got a call telling him that we needn't bother to do anything," Reynolds huffed. "If the missile doesn't work for some reason, then Carpathia will send up the Odyssey and scramble the F-302s."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Since he's had control of them since the disarmament."

Daniel winced. "Great."

Vala frowned. "What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing's 'wrong' with him trying to destroy the object using the Odyssey and F-302s, I guess. What's wrong is that he _does_ have control of the Odyssey and F-302s."

"And every other WMD in the world," Reynolds filled in.

"WMD?" she asked.

"Weapons of Mass Destruction," Sam sighed.

"Oh…"

"So that's it? Just go back to work?" Daniel asked.

Sam nodded. "That's about the size of it. The missile launch will be on international television though. According to general landry, anyone who wants to see it should be in the briefing room around four thirty. I think I'll go home though. I left Simon with the church guys last time."

"Right," he nodded. "Okay."

Sam hurried off, and Reynolds headed away as well, muttering that he still had blasted paperwork to do from SG-1's last mission. Daniel chuckled to himself as the colonel went, until he turned and remembered that Vala still wasn't happy with him.

He sighed. "I guess we should talk. Come on."

Silently, she nodded and followed him back to his office. He leaned against one of the table and turned to her.

"I'm sorry," he said immediately. "I have been spending a lot of time with Morgan lately, but I didn't mean to ignore you. If you feel that way, I'm sorry."

"Why do you want to spend so much time with her anyway?" Vala questioned, arms still crossed tightly.

"Why? I don't know. She's just someone new to talk to, I guess. She's interesting; there's a lot I can learn from her--and not just about the times I was ascended. It's hard to explain. I just enjoy spending time around her." She just stared at him. "is that so wrong? It's just like I like--" He stopped immediately when he realized what he was about to say.

Vala raised an eyebrow. "It's just like you like what?"

Daniel battled with himself inwardly. He couldn't…she wasn't a Christian…no matter how he felt…But he couldn't lie to her.

"It's just like I like spending time with you," he admitted quietly. There were distinct differences between how he felt around Vala, and how he felt about Morgan, and even to himself they were still confused, but there was no reason to say anymore than that right now.

Her posture and expression softened. "You do?" And it sounded as if she'd actually had a doubt.

"Of course," he swallowed. He stepped forward and hugged her. "You're a great friend," he told her, to cover himself. He felt her shoulders slump under his arms at that, but she still returned the embrace for a moment, before he let go.

Vala _was_ a great friend to have, but he knew that part of him wanted…Daniel shut those thoughts down before they could gain ground. There could be nothing more. He was a Christian, Vala wasn't, and if she never became one--perish the thought!--he didn't think he could ever bear the heartache if something happened to her, and he had already let himself feel more for her.

* * *

General Landry, Daniel, Vala, Reynolds, Siler, and a few others who hadn't gone home or opted to watch in others rooms gathered around the widescreen television situation on a cart at one side of the briefing room. All were there to watch the missile launch. Carolyn Lam sat next to her father, wondering what would happen just as much as the next person. According to the Bible, the object, which in it was called Wormwood, was supposed to break apart and contaminate a third of the world's rivers and streams, making them a deadly poison. But would it break on its own, or was the missile part of God's plan?

All of them watched, agape, as the ground-to-air nuclear missile was launched. The world was watching as the meteor, all aflame from hitting the edge of the atmosphere, split itself into billions of pieces before the missile even reached it. For hours the fragments would waft down from the heavens and around the globe, all of them landing in water, which the GC would probably be unable to explain. Doubtlessly it would be called chance, or ignored completely.

But they wouldn't be able to ignore it when people started to die.

According to the rest of the world though, the threat was gone, and everyone drifted away from the briefing room. Those she saw without the mark of the believers appeared relieved, but for those with it, like herself, they knew the judgment was just beginning. Those with the mark were apprehensive, not relieved.

Finally, it was only her and her father left in the briefing room. Landry sighed and stepped over to the wide windows, and stared down at the Stargate.

"Something wrong, dad?" she asked.

He sighed again. "Sometimes I feel redundant."

She came up beside him. "Why?"

"The SGC used to be Earth's first line of defense. Now it seems like we're just an airport, an answering machine, and a scanner all rolled into one. The Potentate still wants the SG teams out there, but as part of the disarmament there are only half as many now, and all he wants them out there for now is to look for Naquidah. But he won't tell us what he's going to use it for if we find enough of it for him."

"Doesn't that make you the least bit suspicious?"

"He's a leader, Carolyn, and a good one. He doesn't have to tell us everything. I trust him. But that doesn't help me from feeling a little useless--like the whole SGC isn't much more than useless."

Carolyn took a deep breath. "Dad…it's going to get worse. Yes, I mean that in the long term, but right now, too. Those wood fragments from that meteor aren't harmless. Whatever water they land in will be contaminated. People will _die_."

Landry turned to look at her then, his expression blank. "And you know this because you read it in that Bible of yours?"

"Yes."

"Carolyn, please don't go into that right now."

She crossed her arms. "Then when _will_ you listen to me?"

He glanced at her briefly, but then looked away and started back toward his office. "Not now."

But it was then that the unscheduled offworld activation alarms went off, and below them the 'gate burst open. Landry rushed back to the window and glanced down with her. What they saw was SG-9 coming hastily through the 'gate. The two men standing were dragging the other two. The other man was gasping for air. The woman wasn't moving.

"Get a medical team down there!" Landry said urgently, already going for the stairs. Carolyn went to the wall where the intercom panel was, called for a medical team to join her in the 'gate room, stat, and then ran down the stairs herself.

The two men that had dragged their colleagues back through the stargate had them at the bottom of the ramp when she got there. The one standing over the woman saw and shook his head sadly, motioning for her to move on to the third man, a young captain who was on his back and already going blue in the face.

"What happened?" she demanded, crouching next to him and pounding on his back. She couldn't do much else until her team got here with supplies. She knew what it had to be, but for her father's sake, as well as the others--one of the men standing, and the one dying right next to her did not have the mark--she had to ask. The woman was already gone, she could still see the mark on her forehead. Carolyn didn't know the woman's name, but she would find out in heaven in about five years.

"We don't know," the man without the believer's mark said hastily. He was the commander of the team. "We were just refilling our water bottles in a stream. It was just after that meteor broke up and the pieces fell; there was one over the planet we were on too, just like the one they found coming toward Earth this morning before we left. They drank some before they were finished filling their bottles but then started choking. She dropped almost right away, and he kept doing that. I don't understand what could have happened. It was just water…"

"Thank you, colonel," she sighed, glancing at Landry. He gave her an unreadable look before he turned away again.

Her medical team arrived, and even though she doubted they would be able to, she worked as hard as she could to save the young man. But no matter what they did, he couldn't breathe. Not even an emergency tracheotomy helped for any more than a few seconds. Finally, with blood on her lab jacket and latex gloves, and sorrow in her heart that the young captain had not been saved, Carolyn had no choice but to pronounce both him and the woman dead.

And this was only the beginning of the deaths caused by the contaminated water from Wormwood. She wondered, somberly, how high the casualties would be this time.

And hoped that none of those she was close to--especially those unsaved--would be among them.

* * *

Dakara called in with an urgent request for help. People were dying from the water they extracted from the only open source near the jaffa city. They needed medical assistance, and clean water. SG-1 and a medical team headed up by Carolyn Lam was sent in, causing Sam to need to rush back to the base.

The first people Daniel looked for on the other side of the wormhole were Bra'tac and Ka'lel. It wasn't until after the head of the Jaffa High Council had greeted them with thanks and told them the details of the dilemma and they had been able to get to work that the two leaders of the Christian jaffa approached them.

While the medical team went to do what little they could do for those not yet dead from drinking the water, Reynolds and Vala went to distribute the large bottle of water that had been brought. There were wells in Dakara, but the one small lake had been a large source of water, and more was needed.

"It has been too long," Bra'tac said, taking both him and Sam into a warrior's strong-armed embraces for a moment. When Carpathia visited the High Council, he had his own entourage. SG-1 hadn't had a chance to come to Dakara since before the war. Teal'c had been the last one of them to see them, just before the war had broken out, and they had had to find out about his death the same way as the rest of the council.

"It's good to see you too," Daniel said as the jaffa let go of him. It had been over six months, but seeing Bra'tac and Ka'lel brought back the reality that Teal'c was gone until the Tribulation was over, and then that brought thoughts of Cassie…He could see that Sam already had tears in her eyes. He was trying not to.

"We're so sorry about Teal'c…" she gulped.

"It was not your fault--either of you," Ka'lel told them firmly. "You must not blame yourselves."

"It was me he was trying to save," Sam continued miserably.

Bra'tac gave a sad smile. "Then he died honorably. We will see him in Heaven when this is all over and done with, Samantha."

"And we understand that you could not tell us in person. It would have brought too much suspicion to you," Ka'lel added.

Daniel sighed. "Most of everyone at the SGC has known since the beginning that we're Christians. We tell the new ones not to tell anyone if they can help it, so we can have some below the radar, but we can't undo that everyone knows about all of us originals. Thankfully no-one above general Landry knows--or at least we don't think so--but that could change any time."

Sam had composed herself again while he spoke. "So, what happened here, exactly?"

Bra'tac sighed. "We saw the meteor break into pieces and fall. We knew fragments of it had landed in the lake, and we rushed to warn everyone not to drink it, but they would not listen to us."

Ka'lel crossed her arms. "And as a result, now the rest of the council is suspicious of us, even though we did not say why they should not drink it. Perhaps we should have."

"It would not have changed their minds. They still would have drunken it," Bra'tac shook his head. "But it did not seem right to just let so many die without at least trying to stop it. A few of them did listen."

"That's good," Daniel said. "But what about the council? They're not limited by Earth laws. If they think you're believers for sure, they could kill you"

"They could, and would not hesitate to do so. But the Lord our God is in control. If we die before the Glorious Appearing of Christ, it will be up to Him as to when," Bra'tac said with conviction.

He nodded. "I know. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful."

Ka'lel smiled. "We are capable of taking care of ourselves, Daniel Jackson."

"Then just make sure you do it," he urged them.

When all of the water containers had been distributed around the city that had sprouted up around the destroyed temple, and the medical team had tried and failed to save any of those that had taken any of the bad water, there was really nothing any of the SGC personnel could do on Dakara.

Daniel and Sam met Vala and Reynolds, and the medical team at the 'gate.

"So how are your friends?" Vala asked casually.

"They're fine," Daniel answered.

"Good…" She fell silent again, and it wasn't until they were back at the SGC and coming out of the locker room after gearing down that she said anything else to him.

"This is another of those things your Bible talks about, isn't it?" She never said 'the' Bible. She always said 'your', as many of the unbelievers did, to distance themselves, he supposed. He sighed.

"Yes, this is one of them," he answered. "And I still don't see how you can not--"

"Believe? Why I can't believe?" She stopped walking and turned to face him, forcing him to stop and look at her. "Because I don't want to. I don't want to believe in your God, Daniel. You know what? I've tried. For you. I've really tried. For a while I wanted to believe, just for you, even if not for me, but I can't do it, Daniel. Sure, a lot of it makes sense if I stop and think about it, but I don't _want_ to think about it. To believe what you believe….To be honest, it does sound great. But I can't believe it's that easy. That can't be the answer. Besides, you know the kind of person I am, Daniel. It wouldn't work for me. It's not _me_."

Daniel just stared at her for a moment, shell-shocked at the torrent of words. It was more than she'd said to him at once in weeks. When he gathered his wits a few seconds later she was still looking at him hard, arms crossed again.

"Vala…it's not about you. Anyone can accept Christ. It's not about what they're like, or if it suits who they are. And just because it is relatively simple doesn't mean it's wrong. That's the beauty of it. It _is_ easy, if you believe, and it can and will 'work' for anyone, if they want it to. You just have to believe that Jesus gave his life for you."

"But why would he! Why would he die for people like me? If he exsists," she added quickly. But he could tell that it hadn't been in her mind initially, while putting that response together. She only wanted him to think that she didn't believe God existed. In his personal opinion, she knew he existed. She just hadn't yet accepted that she could be saved, despite her past.

That was better than nothing; now if he could just get her to understand….

"Because he loves you. He _created_ you. He created me, and everyone else." Her face wasn't changing. Daniel didn't think he was getting through. He swallowed. There was one more thing he could try on this subject, and with no-one else near, it might as well be now. He really didn't want to bring back painful memories…but he had no choice. If it would only work, get her to think more, it would be worth it.

"He loves all of us, no matter what we've done. What about Adria? Don't look at me like that. She was your daughter, Vala, and you loved her. I know you. I know you did. You loved her even though she did what she did. She was brainwashed by the Ori, and we're brainwashed by the devil into doing things again our father--God, just like she was tricked into believing what wasn't true and hurting her mother's people. But you still loved her. You still miss her, and don't deny it. That's exactly how God feels about us when we ignore him. Surely you can understand that?"

Vala swallowed hard and looked away. "I just…I can't, yet. I need more time."

Daniel looked at her sadly for a long moment. "Don't wait until it's too late."

She shrugged minutely, then turned and ran away before he could stop her. She didn't look back.


	33. The Meetings

Hey ya'll. :) Well, the first 'full' week of school was this week, and I've discovered that I won't have much time to write during the week. I'll update every weekend, I promise, unless something drastic happens, but I can't promise anything during the week. Big bummer for me, cause I love this story so much and not being able to write it more often drives me crazy, but oh well. Darn. Grr. But anyway, so that's the scoop. As a result, most chapters will probably longer than usual from now on, since I can't update as often. But please do continue to review so I know what you think of the new chapters, so I can stay motivated through the week to get the next chapter done on the weekend. ;) I really appreciate it. Thanks so much! hugs And now, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Chapter 32

Carpathia tried to push back the gathering of the Witnesses in Jerusalem again because of the water crisis, but on his website, Ben-Judah refused to allow it to happen. The Rabbi-turned-Christian-leader firmly informed the Potentate that they would all be in Jerusalem that weekend as planned. Almost at the last minute, Carpathia decided that he would make an appearance there. The day before they were to fly out, Rayford paid a visit to Jack and Sara. And there was something in his face that was worrying Jack.

"Ray, what's going on?" he asked pointedly.

Steele lowered himself into a chair. "I just wanted to make sure I saw you guys before we left."

Jack sat on the edge of the bed next to Sara, who was bouncing Gavin on her knees. The boy had recently turned a year old. They hadn't been able to throw much of a party, with few friends here and still being stationed in the underground shelter, but Ray and Mac had come over for an hour or so and played with him, and there had been cupcakes and a few gifts. The rest of the Trib Force SG-1 had sent presents.

Gavin leaned forward in his mother's arms toward Rayford, and Sara let him take him onto his lap.

"You'd better get some practice in anyway. You'll be a grandpa soon," she smiled.

Ray smiled as Gavin grinned up at him and held onto his shirt. "Yep."

"So what did you mean?" Jack questioned.

Steele shifted uncomfortably. "It's hard to explain."

"Try us."

"Well…you know that Carpathia knows I'm a Christian."

He nodded. "Yeah. And?"

"I don't know how much longer it's going to be safe for me here. I just have a feeling, Jack. I'm not sure. But something told me to come see you guys."

Sara frowned. "That doesn't sound good."

He sighed. "Look, I don't want you to worry about me. If anything changes, I have somewhere to go. I just wasn't going to lie to you; that's all."

"Well, we appreciate it. And what about the rest of your people?" Jack asked.

"Most of them are in Jerusalem with Tsion right now--they're staying with Chaim Rosenzweig."

"So you gonna be able to see any of the meetings?"

"I don't know. I hope so. But if not, I'll see the television broadcasts like you will. What about your group? Are they going?"

"Can't," Jack sighed. "A few weeks ago Daniel was practically chomping at the bit, and the others were wanting to go too, but it didn't work out. They couldn't get time off _and_ all the commercial flights were full anyway."

"But Sam and Reynolds are pilots. They could have found a plane to take."

"Maybe, but that doesn't help if they don't have time to come."

"True. But why wouldn't they be able to get time off? It's only three days."

Jack raised an eyebrow at him, and Rayford stared for a moment before sighing and giving a small smile. "I know, I know. You can't tell me."

"Nice try though," Jack smiled. "They just have weird hours they can't get out of sometimes. The last day of the meeting they have…something to do. They wouldn't have time to get back if they went." And of course, by something to do, he meant that SG-1 was scheduled to go off-world that day. But he couldn't tell Ray that.

"Right…well, that's a bummer."

Jack shrugged and smirked. "Daniel's already got his VCR set to record for the day they'll be gone."  
"He doesn't have a Tivo or a DVR?"

"Nah. But that's Daniel for you.

Sara smiled. "I haven't known him nearly as long as Jack has, but somehow I get the feeling that's typical of him."

"He's an archaeologist; what would you expect?"

They all laughed for a moment, but then lapsed into silence. The only sound was Gavin bouncing and gurgling.

"So…I don't know when I'm going to have to split, but for some reason I get the feeling it'll be soon," Rayford said slowly. "After that I don't know when–or if, really—I'll be able to see you again before the Glorious Appearing."

_And I know you won't see us after the midpoint of the Tribulation…_"Yeah," Jack sighed. Then he tried to brighten the sudden drop in mood. "But hey, it's been fun. And we'll have all the time we need afterwards."

Ray smiled. "Exactly."

"But you'll keep in touch by e-mail, won't you?" Sara prodded.

"If I can, of course," he nodded. "And you'd better too."

"Don't worry; we will," Jack assured him.

They stayed together as long as they could, chatting and playing with Gavin, until Rayford had to part. He had to get sleep to fly the next day. He embraced all three of them before he left, and it wasn't until then that Jack started to worry about him.

* * *

Wednesday, the first day of the meetings in Jerusalem, the SG-1 Trib Force gathered at Sam's--now Sam and Simon's--house to watch. Daniel was disappointed not to be there himself, but happy at least that he had been able to convince Vala to come watch with them. Maybe she had agreed more to shut him up than anything else, but at least she was here, sprawled lazily over an armchair and waiting indifferently for the broadcast to start. There was the couch and another armchair, but that was only five seats compared to the seven of them there. Sam and Simon had no problem; they sat together on the floor with their backs against the side of the couch.

"Sure you guys are ok down there?" Daniel asked, smiling as he dropped onto the couch with Reynolds and Siler.

Sam wrapped looped an arm through one of Simon's and tilted her head to her husband's shoulder. "We're fine," she assured him, as Simon chuckled.

Carolyn, the only one left standing, put her hands on her hips and shook her head in amusement. "Well, since everyone else is so comfortable…" She picked up the remote from the coffee table and sat in the other armchair, where she turned on the television.

They were right on time. The station was just switching to a view of the interior of the stadium. At the base of the stage, a row of translators sat in front of microphones, and a young Jewish man, the master of ceremonies, stepped onto the stage, where there was nothing but a simple, wood lecturn and microphone. Daniel was already itching with anticipation to see and hear Ben-Judah speak.

"Welcome, my brothers and sisters in the name of the Lord God Almighty…" He stopped for a moment to allow the translators in interpret, but suddenly the crowd began to cheer and shout before they could even begin. (Those words and all further quotes in this scene from the stadium over the television directly from the book "Apollyon", the fifth book in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and jerry B Jenkins)

Vala shot up in her seat. "What the--"

Daniel looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong! He wasn't speaking English! Did you hear what he was speaking in!

"Vala, he is speaking English," Sam pointed out with a frown.

"Are you mad? No he wasn't!"

"Yes, he was," Daniel insisted. The others echoed him.

"But-but--"

When they finally quieted again, he nodded to the translators, but as they began, the crowd shouted again, this time to give a resounding "No! No!" in many languages.

The man on the stage did not seem to understand what they meant, and simply continued, but when he paused again to wait for the translation, the throng of people shouted over it again.

"See! That wasn't English!" Vala yelled almost hysterically, pointing at the television.

Daniel started to get an idea in his head. Simon caught his eye, and he could tell that the pastor was thinking the same thing. "Then what was it, Vala? Just calm down and tell us."

Flustered, she paused a minute and took a deep breath. "Look, on my…" She trailed off, and glanced in the direction of the Docketts, seeming to remember al of a sudden that Simon was there. "--Where I live, everyone knew English because it was used everywhere. We were required to learn it in school, but we had a native language too. That's what he's been speaking. But that's impossible. It's much too little-known."

The man on stage finished.

"…and His son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah!"

Vala was pale by now. "How can he be doing that!"

Reynolds sat forward. "The rest of us are all hearing it in English, right?" There were nods all around.

As the crowd roared again, someone else--presumably a helper--rushed onto the stage and up to him. Daniel couldn't hear exactly what the two said to each other, as they weren't purposely using the microphone, but talking to each other. It sounded, however, like the man tried to scold the aide for interrupting, but then the other man told him something that clearly surprised him.

Simon spoke up finally. "I believe I know what this is…" he trailed off as they all watched what was happening on the screen.

The second man scurried away again shortly, the crowd still cheering. The master of ceremonies stepped to the edge of the stage and gathered the translators. Now he was nowhere near the microphone, so what he said to them wasn't heard, but it was short, and when he straightened again, the translators left their posts smilingly and dispersed into the crowd.

"God is interpreting for us," Simon said quietly. Daniel and the rest of them were grinning by now. Vala just looked back at Simon, wide-eyed.

"What?"

The man on stage went back to the microphone. It seemed that he didn't need to explain to the crowd what was happening. They all knew. So instead he simply opened in prayer once the people had quieted down again. When he was through, the whole crowd echoed a loud "Amen!" Then the man lead in a hymn.

It was "Amazing Grace"--the hymn that had been sung at church the night Teal'c had accepted Christ. Daniel found that all of them but Vala joined in with the thousands of voices from the television speakers, but soon his throat clogged and he couldn't anymore. The memories, and the power of so many believers singing at once was too much. He noticed that Sam, too, was swallowing hard.

When the song ended, the master of ceremonies started to introduced Tsion Ben-Judah, but the crowd rose to their feet as one, clapping, shouting, and whistling. He had no choice but to give up trying to quiet them and just let the rabbi take the stage.

Ben-Judah had to be nudged out of the wings. They saw the arms of a couple of people gently urging him forward, and Daniel caught flashes of hair color that made him wonder if it was Buck and Chloe. He knew they were there. It wouldn't surprise him if that was them, lending support from the wings.

When he finally began to speak, the crowd erupted into applause again immediately. Ben-Judah had to raise his hand to quiet them and ask them to save their praise until he was finished for the night. Then he expressed his humble feelings at being able to do what he would be doing for the next three days, how happy and honored he was to be there, and how eager to share the gospel. Vala sat bored through this, except for still being dumbfounded that she was hearing his every word in her original langue--one Daniel hadn't even known she had.

Ben-Judah's message after that was geared intentionally toward the 144,000 witnesses that crowded Jerusalem that night, but there was truth in it for every one of them, and Daniel sat enraptured, hoping that Vala was not only listening, but hearing.

As the rabbi started to close, he began to quote John 3:16. "'For God so loved the world that he gave His only--'"

A rumble that had been coming from the sky for minutes suddenly became distinguishable as the sound of helicopter blades rotating. A bright white chopper with the GC logo clearly on the side dropped down toward the stage almost out of nowhere, drowning Ben-Judah out. The wind forced the rabbi back from the lecturn as the craft landed, and once it was down, lean Fortunato was the first out. The 'Supreme Commander' went to the wood stand and spoke into the microphone, addressing the crowd after nodding to Ben-Judah, who ignored him.

All of them looked at each other in confusion; they had no idea what was going on, and watched as the strange predicament developed before their eyes over the next several minutes.

Fortunato welcomed the crowd again, and then introduced, of all people Peter Mathews--otherwise known as the supreme pontiff, 'Pontifex Maximus, Peter the Second'--the head of the Enigma Babylon One World Faith. There was no applause, not even any booing. There was nothing. The crows remained silent as Mathews swept out of the chopper in the most colorful and ridiculous clerical outfit that had ever existed on Earth--or anywhere else, in Daniel's opinion--and addressed the crowd. He spun just as much garbage as Carpathia ever had, stating that the Jews and Christians should more carefully consider joining the one world faith as every other religion had, and that he would protect their rights until they did.

Yeah, right. Daniel tried hard not to laugh and noticed that a few of the others were smothering giggles.

"Well, _he's_ speaking English," Vala commented. "But who dressed him?" she smirked.

So no one was translating for Carpathia's minions. It made sense.

When Mathews was finished, he introduced Carpathia. He asked that the crowd stand for the Potentate's entrance. No one stood. Vala showed no excitement at all that Carpathia would be speaking. That was a change, for once. Hopefully it was a good thing.

Carpathia's speech was not long, but there was just as much propaganda in it as ever. When he began to wrap up, however, he suddenly grew hoarse. He continued to try to conclude, but he just could not speak clearly. He politely asked if anyone had water. Those on the stage ignored him, but someone passed a bottle up from the crowd. Maybe they felt sorry for him. Daniel snorted to himself.

Carpathia opened the bottle of water and started to drink from it, but he suddenly gagged and spit it all out quickly. They gasped when they saw that his lips and chin, now wet, were red. The bottle he held at arms length was also red--with blood. He cursed Ben-Judah and his followers, threatening to have them all shot then and there, showing a complete attitude change from just a moment before. Daniel saw Vala's eyes opening wider and wider as Nicolae's affront of tolerance evaporated.

And then two voices echoed from the middle of the crowd, supernaturally, for there was no hint of amplification. The people moved back from them, and as the cameras moved to find the source, everyone in Sam and Simon's living room saw the two witnesses from the Wailing Wall standing together, barefoot and in sackcloth.

"Woe unto you who would threaten the chosen vessel of the Most High God!"

Carpathia yelled at them. "Your time is nigh! I swear I will kill you or have you killed before--!"

But Eli and Moishe overrode him with their voices. "Woe! Woe to the imposter who would dare threaten the chosen ones before the due time! Sealed followers of the Messiah, drink deeply and be refreshed!" Then they were gone. No one was quite sure how, but on the screen, no one seemed to care. Suddenly everyone was crying out in surpise and passing around their bottles of water. It was hard to tell with everyone looking so small, but it seemed as if the water bottles were being supernaturally refilled as quickly as they were drunk.

Simon's eyes were wet, and he was muttering "Praise God!" over and over. Sam was grinning and holding him tight. Carolyn, Siler, and Reynolds were sharing amazed looks. Daniel's mouth was still open in shock, but he felt a warmth inside that he hadn't felt so strongly for months.

Vala was sputtering. "W-what. But how…" Daniel got up on impulse, and went to sit on the arm of the chair she was in, and slipped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, too surprised at everything to resist, and watched.

Carpathia retreated to his helicopter, still in a rage, and Ben-Judah's clothes were whipped around again as it took off. Then the teacher stepped back to the lecturn, and continued as if he had never stopped.

"--begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then he repeated the verse. Many fell t their knees and prayed for salvation. He couldn't see it from here, but Daniel smiled to himself as he imagined the mark of the believer appearing on their foreheads, and realized that his eyes were becoming moist as well. Ben-Judah was leading in a prayer of Salvation for those who wished to say it.

Ben-Judah wrapped up, and then that day's meeting was over--though it was night in Jerusalem, of course. Carolyn, who still had the remote, turned off the TV. The living room fell into silence for several minutes, until Vala tentatively broke it.

"What just happened?"

Daniel squeezed her shoulder and smiled gently. "God just reached a whole lot of people--and He wanted you to hear it too."

She sat forward away from his arm, crossing hers across her chest. "No he didn't."

Simon stood. "Why would you say that?"

Vala shifted uncomfortably. "There were lots of other people there, and watching other places. He was talking to them--not to me."

Daniel sighed. "Then why could you hear it in your own language too?"

"Everyone could, apparently."

"But would He let you hear it if He did not mean you to?" Simon prodded.

"I don't know….but it doesn't matter. He wouldn't want me."

Sam stood too. "He wants _everyone_, Vala. He loves you just as much as He loves every one of us. You can accept him too."

Vala just stood, shaking her head and grabbing her jacket off of the back of her chair. "Look, I'd better get back to the SGC."

"You don't have to go," Daniel told her.

"Yes I do," she said adamantly, heading for the door. He glanced helplessly at the others, motioned for them to stay, and followed her himself. She was out the door by the time he caught up.

"Vala!" he pleaded as the door closed behind him. She stopped at the gate to the waist-high fence around the front yard. She hadn't opened it yet. Daniel caught up to her.

"Please…don't just go. You do that too much." And she did. This situation was becoming too much of a déjà vu feeling for his liking. He wanted it to stop. He wanted her to understand, to believe….He wanted to know that she would be in heaven with him. She stood like she was for a moment, then finally turned back to look at him, and he saw that her eyes were moist. "Vala…"

She sighed. "Daniel, listen. I guess I can't deny anymore that your God exsists. I'm still not exactly convinced that he's _everything_ you say he is, but there's definitely something doing all of this. But for your sake I hope he's what you think he is. Actually, I suppose he probably is, and the doubt's just me, most likely. But it doesn't matter, because that's for all you better people. He doesn't need me."

Daniel swallowed. "He doesn't _need_ any of us. But he loves us."

"So you keep saying." She must have seen the look he had, because she came closer and put a hand on either side of his face. He just looked at her, holding back tears. "Don't worry about me, Daniel. It's too late for me to do any of this stuff, but you'll be all right without me. All of your other friends will be in heaven with you, if it really happens that way. I don't think I'll come back here to watch the rest of this these meetings, but I'll watch in my room on my own, all right?"

She smiled at him with her tears still in her eyes. "You know, a lot of the time I wish things could be back to normal--they way they were before everyone disappeared. But that's not going to happen, is it?"

He shook his head silently. Daniel wanted to make himself speak, but couldn't.

Vala sighed. "Right. I should go then." She moved one of her hands and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later." Then both of her hand were gone from his face, and she turned and open the 'gate, and fled to her car. Daniel couldn't watch her go again. He stared at the sidewalk in shame until the sound of the engine faded, and he slowly made his way back inside.

Sam met him on the other side of the door with open arms, and he let her encase him in them as their other friends gathered around them and prayed.

* * *

The second night of the meetings Tsion Ben-Judah spoke on the fourth Trumpet Judgment, and the other forthcoming judegements of the Tribulation. The next judgment on its way would effect the world for the remaining nearly five years of the time. It was told in Revelation 8:12--"The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night."

When it happened, the sun, moon, and stars would shine a third less brightly, and the days would be a third shorter, meaning the sun would shine only around eight hours a day instead of about twelve as usual. It would wreak havoc with the weather, everything that grew…well, just about everything.

That was also the night that Jack and Sara heard via a returning Mac McCullum that Ray Steele had indeed gone AWOL. Apparently Carpathia had had it in for him from the beginning of the trip, but Mac had gotten wind of it, warned him, and he'd gotten out of there and back to the States. They were relieved that he was safe, if disappointed that he was gone for now. But at least they weren't alone in New Babylon. They would be moving into the rebuilt city soon, and being back in one of those huge apartments would feel even lonelier if they didn't know that both Mac and David Hassid would be nearby. No one else knew they were believers, so they were all safe for the time being.

The third night Ben-Judah _began_ with asking that those who wished to be saved come forward, and many more accepted Christ. The witnesses made another appearance, even though they had been ordered two days before by Carpathia to stay in the area by the Wailing Wall or they would be killed. That night the meetings ended early, with Ben-Judah's final conclusion. After that, the O'Neill's heard nothing from any of the eastern Trib Force for several days, as things went a little crazy in Jerusalem. The GC attempted to capture Ben-Judah and the other Trib Forcers on their exit from the country, but they escaped. Unfortunately, their pilot--another member of that group named Ken Ritz that they had never met--was killed in the rush to the plane under GC gunfire, and Buck was accidently left behind.

This they heard in a report from Mac a few days later. Buck was fine, if a little beat up, and was staying with a friend of Chaim Rosenzweig's until he could slip back into the states unnoticed. Chloe was still recovering from the earthquake, but she and her unborn baby were fine--though during the days of the meetings, Hattie Durham had miscarried, and was no closer to accepting Christ.

The new apartment, when they moved into it, was even bigger than the last one. This time Carpathia had made sure that the completed New Babylon would be the grandest city on the face of the planet. This time, there wasn't just a GC headquarters building--there was a _palace_. They could see it from the windows on one side of the living room, and Jack kept those curtains closed. Sara didn't object. It disgusted both of them, for they knew that in the future, it would be where Carpathia would rule from once he had declared himself to be god. Already, the story of Fortunato's 'resurrection' after the earthquake had leaked to the rest of the world, and in formality now the world had taken up the term 'His Excellency' for Nicolae--and of course he protested at first, then accepted it 'humbly'. There were already those who believed he was deity.

Uh huh.

It was sickening. Jack was glad that he could still get away with 'Potentate'. Though of course, when not in the presence of unbelievers, 'Carpathia', or even 'Antichrist' did just fine.

* * *

Sam pulled a pillow over her head when she realized that the sound that had woken her up was the phone. "Simon, can you get that?" she begged. It was still dark out, for goodness sakes! She heard her husband stir beside her.

"Hmm?" he asked groggily. It was obvious that he wasn't going to wake up enough to answer the phone before it stopped ringing. And if it was this early, it might be important. Sighing, Sam dragged the pillow off of her head, reached over Simon for the phone on the night table--and saw that it was just before seven in the morning. It should light by now, shouldn't it? She pulled the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Sam_!"

She yawned. "Hey…Daniel, what's up?"

"_It's happening, Sam. I just got a call from Jack. It's past midday over there, but it looks like evening. It happened around seven or eight in the morning for them. We were asleep. He didn't see it, but Buck did, in Jerusalem, and he called the safe house in Chicago, and Ray e-mailed Jack. Apparently at the time it looked like someone pulled down a lampshade. It just got darker all of a sudden, and colder_."

Sam blinked. "That was a lot to take in in only about ten seconds, but okay. Yikes…yeah." She started tapping on Simon's shoulder to wake him up more.

"_You okay Sam_?"

She shook her head to clear it. "Yeah. I just woke up is all."

"_Good. You might want to turn up your heater. It's already colder here--and it probably won't be light for another hour or so. I don't know if it'll be four hours from the beginning or end of the day taken off, or two hours from each end…but it doesn't matter. We'll have a third less daylight from now on. Actually, fi you go outside now, you can already tell by the moon. It's dimmer too_."

"The Bible said it would be. And the stars too," Sam said, stretching. Simon said up groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"_Yeah, but it's cloudy; can't make out that part yet_."

"Bummer. Well anyway, thanks for calling. Have you called anybody else yet?"

"_Not yet_."

"Okay. Want me to help?"

"_Sure. How about I take Vala and Siler and you call Carolyn and Reynolds_?"

Sam nodded to herself. "Works for me. Talk to you later."

"_Later_."

Daniel hung up, and Simon looked at her. "What is it?"

"The next judgment," she sighed. "It started."

Simon glanced out the dark window, where there was hardly any moonlight coming in at all. He then looked at the clock. "So it has."


	34. Swarm

Oops. There's long, and then there's overlong. I think this chap is, ya'll. Sorry, lol, but I had to get this part of the story out. I hope you still enjoy it, and please let me know what you think. I'd really like to know your thoughts on this chapter, specifically. You'll see why later...Thanks! hugs

Chapter 34

Sam shivered. "It's already cold in here."

Simon pulled the blankets up around her shoulders and got out of bed, shivering himself even after he'd grabbed a jacket. "I'll turn the heater on."

"Good idea," she answered wryly. When he came back, he shucked off the jacket and quickly climbed back under the covers with her again; she had already lain back down. "Should we even bother going to work today?"

"I can work from here, but as for you, I suppose you should call…"

She sighed. "Right." But she snuggled back up next to him. "Later though. Let the house warm up."

He smiled. "It sounds like a plan."

* * *

When Daniel got to the SGC, he found that for once, it was warmer than outside. He'd been driving through snow flurries, and the cold had been biting. And the snow had only just begun. Beyond that, they didn't know how long this darkness would last. It could stay this way, or it might revert; the scriptures weren't completely clear on that part.

General Landry was in the control room, a jacket over his arm as if he had just arrived himself. He looked back at Daniel with an uncertain expression as he came up the stairs.

"You know what caused this, don't you?"

He took note that there was no one else here. "I believe it's a judgment from God, if that's what you mean."

Landry nodded slowly, "I thought that was what you'd say." He paused. "You know that I could turn you in, don't you? All of you. It's not illegal, what you believe, but the Potentate doesn't like it at all, and you know it. It may well be illegal one day."

Daniel took a breath. "Yes sir. I know. All of us know it; we _know_ it'll be illegal one day."

"That's in the Bible too?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

He nodded.

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"It is frightening, when we really think about it, but we're willing to stand for our belief even so. We know it's the truth, sir, and we're willing to die for it. We hope it doesn't come to that…but we know it might."

Landry looked at him hard for a minute, before turning back to stare absently out the windows again. "I see…" he sighed. "Well, I haven't turned anyone in yet, and I don't plan to. Even if it really does become illegal to be Christian, I'm going to protect my daughter--and the rest of you."

He swallowed. "Thank you, sir."

The general nodded wordlessly, and Daniel got the feeling that the conversation was over.

* * *

As the others arrived, Daniel gathered them in his office. Sam was the last to get there, and she looked like a woman with a mission.

"Sam?" he asked, standing.

She threw her jacket over the back of an extra chair. "No, sit back down. We need to talk about some things."

He sat back down slowly, looking at her.

"You okay, Sam?" Carolyn asked.

She smiled and sat. "Oh, I'm fine."

"What is it then?" Reynolds questioned.

Sam leaned forward, crossing her arms on her knees. "I think we should start stockpiling supplies offworld: as soon as this is over, if it stops, and if not, then as soon as possible."

"We knew we were going to have to start sometime, but why the certain interest?" Daniel asked.

She shrugged. "All the talk from the eastern Trib Force about the Co-op got me thinking."

"The co-op…that's the network of believers who'll be trading during the second half of the Tribulation so that the Christians here on Earth will be able to get what they need, right?" Siler clarified.

"Right. Not only should we start stockpiling, but I think that we should organize something similar between the other planets we have contact with, just incase Carpathia's control ends up being that tight out there. We already know he _will_ have control. No, there's probably no way he'll be able to stop 'all' commercial buying and selling without his mark in the rest of the galaxy, but it'll still affect everywhere to some extent."

"True," Daniel nodded. "To be honest, I was thinking along the same lines, but I wasn't sure how that would work."

"Well, for one thing, every group that can needs to buy up as many cargo ship or bigger vessels as possible in the next year or so that we have. The Tok'ra have several, the pockets of jaffa have a few, and there are others."

"Is that enough space to transport enough supplies to keep every cell of believers in the galaxy alive, though?" Reynolds asked.

"Probably not, but we have time. We'll make it work," Sam said confidently. "I've been giving Chloe some peripheral assistance organizing the Co-op here, so I'll know what I'm doing, hopefully," she smiled.

Carolyn sat forward. "I'll help."

Well, Daniel had known that Sam was doing that as well as still helping out with the responses on Ben-Judah's website. He only hoped she was right. "We all will," he said. "But in the meantime, we should mention this to the Tok'ra. We'll need their ships, cloaked, to get supplies off of Earth. We're supposed to meet them in a couple of weeks.."

Reynolds nodded. "If this keeps up until then, I hope they still let us go despite the weather," he said wryly.

"Yeah…" he sighed.

* * *

That night, a press conference was held where several well-known scientists offered their opinions on what was causing the darkness. Doctor Chaim Rosenzweig was last, and after being e-mailed by Buck, who was still stuck in Israel, the Trib Force SG-1 in Colorado made sure they were together to watch his remarks. Ben-Judah and Buck had both continued to witness to him, and it looked like they were beginning to get through.

He spoke of Doctor Ben-Judah briefly, and of a few other related things not quite on topic, but finally he got around to the point, even though the host had attempted to cut him off more than one already. Rosenzweig ended with a thought-provoking statement.

"Ben-Judah was ridiculed for his beliefs, for his contentions that scriptural prophecy could be taken literally. He said an earthquake would come. It came. He said hail and blood and fire would scorch the plants. They did. He said things would fall from the sky, poisoning water, killing people, sinking ships. They fell.

"He said the sun and the moon and the stars would be stricken and that the world would be one-third darker. Well, I am finished. I don't know what to make of it except that I feel a bigger fool every day. And let me just add, I want to know what Dr. Tsion Ben-Judah says is coming next! Don't you?" And he gave the address of the website. (Dialogue of Rosenzweig is taken directly from Apollyon by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.)

Power wasn't a problem at the SGC, being a government-based institution, but in residential areas it was minimal, after a day or so. Solar power plants were non-operational all over the planet, and power was low everywhere, not even counting all of the power lines that were down because of the ice. Everyone except Sam ended up staying at the base from them on, to stay warm. The church didn't meet that week.

Three days after the darkness began, Nicolae Carpathia himself went to speak with the two Witnesses at the Wailing Wall, even in the freezing cold and snow that blanketed the planet. The Witnesses were still in their usual place, dressed in sackcloth, and still barefoot!

The argument was heated, but Eli and Moishe still did not lift the drought over Jerusalem, nor did they leave--of course. At the end of the broadcast, Carpathia announced that no-one who was 'sympathetic' to Tsion Ben-Judah and his teachings were fugitives any longer, as if he actually did want to appease the two preachers at the wall.

They all knew that it wouldn't last long. Eventually it would be a death sentence for any of them to be out in broad daylight. But for now, it was good for the original Tribulation Force members who had already been forced into hiding in the Chicago area, and others hiding elsewhere. It would give Buck the chance to get back to his family in the states without fear of being captured or killed.

And it would give the SG-1 Trib Force the freedom to get their plans for an offworld Co-op like organization underway.

Two days after Carpathia went to the Wall, the day began at the usual hour, with its usual brightness. Thousands worldwide had died of the cold before it was over.

But both Vala and General Landry refused to speak of anything to do with God.

And that wasn't the end of it. The next week, everyone was looking at what at first seemed to be a shooting star, until astronomers realized that it was a lot smaller, and much closer., and that it was descending to Earth fast. As it was studied more, it was obvious that it wasn't really a threat, but that didn't help to ease the Trib Force SG-1's uneasiness as it came.

Scientists speculated that it would burn up in the atmosphere, but burn up it didn't, and it came down in an uninhabited region of the Fertile Crescent, a place where many believed the cradle of civilization to be. GC scientist were near enough the point of impact to see it happen, but they reported that it went right into the earth, as if a crevice were already there. The area was visual scanned by plane, but there seemed to be no way to reach the spot on the ground. All the world could do was watch from afar.

Soon, seismology readers were picking up eruptions high on the Richter scale; apparently the falling…_thing_, had cause volcanic activity wherever under the surface it had lodged. When it all finally erupted, the shockwave knocked nearby planes off course, and a mushroom could sprouted up from the earth with no other explainable cause.

The cloud was bigger than any in history, and it didn't dissipate. Instead, it spread in every direction and within days threatened to block the sun the globe over. The smoke was thick and black, and continued to gush from the crevice. Scientists could only speculate, but it was rumored that they were afraid it was all from an underground inferno that would erupt at some point, shooting flames miles into the sky and vaporizing anything too close.

But as there was no foreseeable solution to the problem in the near future, SG-1 was permitted to go offworld the Monday after the object had fallen.

* * *

"I don't know what to do," Daniel stressed, pacing back and forth. "I know she understand now. I know she believes God is real--even that Jesus did die on the cross--but she won't accept him. She doesn't think she can, that's she's not worthy, or something. I don't even know for certain why. I keep feeling like I'm doing something wrong--like if I was doing it right, she would get it."

Morgan stood from her seat on the bench by the wall in her room. "It is not your fault, Daniel. She will come around when the Lord decides that she should. It is not up to you."

"I know, I know, but…" he slowed and stared at the floor in shame, arms crossed over his chest. "I keep worrying that that time will never come. I know that sounds crazy and irrational, but I feel that way sometimes."

"It does not sound so completely irrational to me," she answered. "I understand."

He looked up in surprise, a little sheepishly. "You do?"

"I understand why you feel such things even though it does not make sense, if that is what are asking; yes," she nodded.

Daniel blinked. "What? Why then?"

"Because you care for her."

"Well of _course_ I do. She's my friend. I care about everyone I know who's not saved. I don't want them to go to hell," he said evasively.

"True, but you admitted yourself that you worry more about her than the others at times," she pointed out, taking a few casual steps closer to him.

"All the time," he mutter, not looking at her.

Morgan smiled. "I know. But it will not help to hide the reason for it from yourself."

He stiffened defensively, out of habit. "She's not a Christian, Morgan."

"No. No yet. But perhaps all that she needs is for you to be honest with her."

Daniel's mouth fell open "Honest…? I don't _lie_ to her about anything. Of course I'm honest with her!"

"Are you?" she questioned, eyebrow raised.

He took a couple steps away. "Morgan, I don't know what you're on about, but--"

"You know exactly what I am 'on about', Daniel Jackson," she interrupted him firmly. "I have been aware of it ever since the first time I saw the two of you in the same room almost four years ago on Atlantis, and you cannot hide it from me. Just because I am an 'Ancient' does not mean that I know nothing of love. In fact, I most likely know a good deal more than you."

Now he just stared at her, refusing to admit anything. "B-but…even if that _was_ the case, how would that have an impact on her becoming a Christian or not?"

"Perhaps more than you would think," she assured himself. "Not to mention that you owe it to the poor woman."

Daniel forced his arms to fall back to his sides. "Morgan…no. Just…no." he would give no more detail, and as she looked at him, her expression softened.

"Just think about what I have said, Daniel," she said gently. He shrugged absently, crossing his arms again. "You have other friends to see before you go," she reminded him, giving him a small smile again. "Perhaps you should go see them."

He sighed. "You're right."

"I will see you another time," she said, hugging him. Daniel returned the embrace for a moment, then looked at her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't get mad at you. You're right in that you probably know a lot more than me," he smiled.

"I'm glad you agree," she chuckled. "Now go, before I decide to lecture you again."

Daniel gave her a mock salute and left. Near the rings he came across Sam and Anise/Freya, conversing intently over something. "What's so interesting?" he asked as he approached them. Sam looked up.

"Oh, Daniel, good. Anise had some news, and we were discussing plans for our trading routes."

"That's good…and what news?" he asked curiously.

"To stay on the 'safe side', as you say, we have already began to grow to tunnels for your shelter when your people leave Earth," Anise reported. "As requested, they are on a different planet. We agree with the logic that we should not all be in the same location. Too many people in one place would attract more attention, and having more than one shelter would hopefully ensure that not _all_ of us would ever be found. There are already too many here. The previous ascended have been speaking of moving."

Daniel nodded. "Makes sense. Thank you so much for the help and…" He looked at Sam. "Have you asked her yet?"

Sam nodded. "She took me to the council. It took them about five minutes to agree that they can help us start to move things to the new shelter as soon as we want to."

"Great." But he wasn't entirely there. His mind was on what Morgan had said, it was on Vala, and it was on the black cloud covering the planet above them just as it was covering Earth, and every other planet Stargate Command or the Tok'ra had heard from. A similar object had fallen on each world, and there wasn't much time for Vala if it was bringing what he was afraid it heralded.

As if in answer to his thought, suddenly a voice that sounded as if it came from everywhere and nowhere at once echoed through the tunnels.

_"Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of this world, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"_

A chill ran down his spine, and his mouth dropped open again. "Oh no…"

Sam and Anise were white, and he was sure that he was something close. Anise shook herself back to composure. "There is no other way into this shelter but the rings. We blocked the escape tunnel when the object fell. The locusts will not be able to get in. The few unbelievers here will not be attacked. But…"

"But we should go. _Now_," Daniel nodded. "Sam, come on. We have to find to find the others fast."

Finally able to speak again, she beyond him down a side tunnel. "No need."

He turned and saw Vala and Reynolds skidding around a corner. Reynolds appeared concerned, but Vala looked petrified. Reynolds stopped next to them, but she almost knocked Daniel down when she ran into him and clung tight.

"What was _that_!" she gasped.

Daniel put his arms around her for a brief moment and squeezed, before gently prying her off of him. "It was an angel."

"It's warning of the coming judegements," Reynolds winced.

"Which is why we need to get home quickly," Daniel added.

"We should," Sam agreed, moving quickly toward the rings. Vala didn't need any prompting to follow. There was already a low rumble coming from the surface.

Anise got out of the way, and after she had bowed her head for a second, Freya spoke. "May God be with you."

"Thank you," Sam nodded.

Daniel stepped onto the ring platform with the rest of his team. "All of you be safe. I don't know how this will effect 'gate activity. I don't know when we'll see you again." He was glad he had already seen Skaara, Ashada, and Kasuf earlier. It had been Anise and a few of the other Abydonians he knew that he had been going to see before he ran across Anise/Freya and Sam in the corridor.

The rumble was escalating to a higher pitch and had developed more of a metallic quality. Reynolds glanced up, more worried now. "Good luck with keeping the seal in that escape tunnel in tact. Something tells me these buggers are going to be persistent."

Vala stared at him. "What?"

"I would say, but hopefully you won't, and I can explain once we're safely back at the SGC," Daniel said quickly. "We need to go, right NOW."

Freya nodded, Anise bid them farewell, and the Tok'ra quickly activated the rings.

* * *

It was afternoon in New Babylon, and Jack had just walked through the front door of his family's apartment when the angel's announcement reverberated through the universe. Immediately he ran into the living room, where Sara had stood, holding Gavin tightly, and was staring wide-eyed out the windows at the dark clouds in the sky.

"Sara!" he called.

She turned and saw him, and there was relief written all over her face. "You're here, Jack; thank God."

He went to them, and Gavin, now about fifteen months old, reached out to him. "Daddy!" he cried. His little voice was frightened, and Jack pulled the boy into his arms and held on tight.

"It's okay, buddy," he soothed. "There'll be some bugs outside soon, but they won't hurt you. We'll be safe in here…" He hoped so, anyway. Sara's arms snaked around his waist and clasped there, and Jack leaned his head against hers.

* * *

Once the light faded, they saw that the clouds had darkened considerably, and seemed much lower. The noise was deafening--like chains clanking together, rattling and thumping--and coming closer and closer. They covered their ears as they ran for the 'gate, which was hard to see in the darkness. But they hadn't made it up here fast enough.

Out of the dark smoke flew hundreds of small creatures, and he realized it was the beating of their wings that made the noise.

"Hurry!" he shouted above a cacophony.

Sam put on a burst of speed and headed directly for the DHD, while Reynolds was pulling up his P-90.

"That won't help!" Daniel reminded him. "I don't think we can kill them!"

"But maybe it'll help keep them away from her until Sam can get the 'gate open!" the colonel shouted back. That was a good idea, actually. Daniel got his hands on his own. Sam was almost at the DHD, and Vala wasn't far behind. But the creatures were gaining.

Daniel didn't even have to look at them hard to know what they looked like. In horror he ran over the description in his head, comparing it to what he saw. They were brown, black, and yellow, and about five or six inches long, from what he could tell. They were the shape of miniature armored horses with scorpion's tails, hair, and an indistinguishable head.

And they were demons bent on tormenting unbelievers. One bite or sting from one of the creatures would leave a person in agony for five months. He couldn't let that happen to Vala, no matter how much he wanted her to be saved.

Sam reached the DHD, and Vala ducked down behind it. Daniel and Reynolds ran around the DHD to cover Vala as Sam began to dial.

But they were just seconds too late.

The 'locusts' converged on them when she was halfway through the address. Sam batted them away as they screamed and fought past her toward Vala. The men began to fire at them knocking a few of them back with pings of impact, and a few even dropped, but they always recovered. The creatures were invincible.

Vala, not one to be helpless, pulled out a zat and tried to help them keep them back, even though her expression was terrified. Against her protests, Daniel pushed her down and covered her as much as he could with his body, but still the creatures fought toward her. They didn't even seem to see the other three humans; they only had eyes for the unbeliever among them.

"Daniel!" Vala shouted.

Sam slapped her hand down on the dome in the middle of the DHD. The wormhole burst open behind them. "Go!" she shouted.

* * *

The creatures came out of the darkening clouds without warning. They swarmed down into the streets below and sought out any and all they could get to, that was not sealed by God. That was most everyone in this city. People were bitten or stung by the grotesque beasts and dropped to the ground, writhing in agony. The creatures pinged against the windows, but did not show much interest into getting in beyond gnashing their teeth--yes teeth, huge teeth--at the believers inside the building.

Jack quickly ushered Sara and Gavin away from the room with the many windows, and into the larger of the two bedrooms, where he and Sara slept. He pulled the shade over the one small window in the room and swallowed.

"Maybe we had better just stay in here," he said shakily, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Sara with Gavin still in his arms. Sara put hers around both of them.

"That sounds like a good idea," she agreed softly.

* * *

She and Reynolds kept as many of the bugs back as they could, and Daniel pulled Vala to her feet and shot toward the event horizon.

A few of the creature got past Sam and the colonel. Daniel yelled at Vala to get through as fast as she could, and turned to fight them off. She slowed for a fraction of a second. "What about you!"

"They can't hurt us; _Go_!"

She went. Daniel fired as rapidly as the weapon would allow, and Sam and Reynolds were hurrying toward the 'gate now himself, but somehow one got past all of them. Somehow.

Daniel heard a piercing scream from behind, and spun to see Vala on the ground, wailing in pain as one of the creatures let go of her shoulder.

"NO!" he shouted in anger. He lunged at the creature as it started to fly off again, and swung his P-90 toward it. Instead, it was his hand that came in contact with it, knocking it away, and he cried out pain himself.

Chest heaving, he ignored it, and hauled Vala to her feet, an arm around her waist. Reynolds continued firing at the advancing creatures, and Sam helped him pull her through the stargate.

"Close the iris!" Reynolds yelled immediately, once they were on the other side. Instantly it started to slide shut, but one of the creatures--probably the one that had bitten Vala--made it through the shrinking hole before it closed off completely.

The doors were already closed, because the 'gate was open, thank goodness, and when it snapped off, they stayed that way.

"We have to catch that thing!" Daniel yelled to the few standard guards at the base of the ramp. One of them had the mark of the believer, but only one. Even if they kept this room close off, more people would suffer if that thing wasn't stopped.

The creature went straight for the guards without the mark, of course, and one of them had been bitten and was on the floor writhing before anyone could react. It went for the others, and they ran. Sam and Daniel lowered Vala to the ramp, where she clung to Daniel panting and moaning pitifully, shrinking away from the flying thing.

Reynolds headed quickly down the ramp, and pulled off his jacket. The creature had one of the poor men trapped in a corner, but he couldn't stop it from biting him as well. The second man sank to the floor, screaming, but before the bug could fly off, Reynolds flung his jacket over it, closed his hands around the edges, and slammed the captured creature into the wall. When the parcel fell away from the wall, he was left holding a limp, now heavy, jacket. The thing was probably stunned, though they couldn't see it.

"We need something in here to help these people and contain this thing!" the colonel called urgently, hands closed tightly around the jacket.

Within minutes, a medical team was in the 'gate room, and the creature had been deposited into a sturdy metal cage with crossbars dense enough that it could not, under any circumstances, push its way out.

Carolyn Lam swallowed hard at the sight of the squirming, howling bite victims from the guard detail. Vala was quieter, though obviously in just as much pain. Sweating already and gasping, she refused to let go of Daniel's arm. While the two men were being carted off to the infirmary, Carolyn whispered to him.

"Take her to her room. She'll be more comfortable there, and that's all we can really do anyway," she told him, looking worriedly at their suffering friend.

Daniel nodded wordlessly. As the adrenaline faded, the anger was replaced by sorrow, and his throat felt clogged. He put one of Vala's arms over his shoulder and started out into the corridor. Sam hurried to take her other side and helped him get her to he room, but at the door he stopped.

"I've got her from here," he said quietly.

"But--" He looked at her pleadingly. Sighing softly, she let go and backed away. Daniel silently thanked her, and brought Vala into the room himself.

He pushed the door closed behind them and helped her over to the bed. Gently he lowered her shivering figure down onto the mattress, pulled off her jacket and boots, and knelt beside the bed. He could barely breathe for the lump in his throat, and he couldn't stop a strangled sound of distress from escaping when she suddenly cried out loudly and clung onto his arm again. He winced at how tight the grip was, but said nothing.

"D-Dan-iel--" she gasped. She opened her eyes and looked at him finally, the expression full of agony. "Help…"

"I c--I can't do anything," he choked. His chest and throat hurt so badly from holding back tears that it made him want to cry in and of itself.

Vala closed her eyes again and moaned loudly, squirming. Daniel managed to pry his arm out of her grip and take her hand with his instead. She squeezed that too. "Please!" she pleaded. "Do something, I can't-AH!"

He squeezed her hand more tightly himself, his eyes snapping shut in anguish; it would be like this for her, to some degree, every day for the next five months. He knew the reason, but he didn't want it to be this way. He didn't want her to suffer!

"There's nothing to be done…" he answered quietly, no louder for fear of his voice cracking again. "You can't stop it; you can't die. It's to...to get people's attention, so they'll know that he--that God is serious. He's real, and he wants them all to accept Him…" he trailed off. "Everyone," he whispered finally. "Don't you understand?"

Vala heard, but didn't reply. She was too busy panting from the pain.

Daniel let out a sob. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I wish I could do something." He wanted her to be saved more than anything, but he still wished he could ease the pain just the same. But wishing didn't help her.

Eyes closed and breathing harshly, she still didn't say anything, or even open her eyes, so he withdrew his hand from hers and stood, turning away to get control of the tears in his throat. But they refused to be forced down.

Daniel started to cry. It was only softly at first, but soon became forceful sobs. He hid his face in his hands and stood against the wall, his face next to it because he tried to keep her from hearing. It wasn't until he felt a shaking hand on his shoulder that he realized he had failed miserably. He turned in surprise, and saw that a gasping vala had managed to pull herself out of bed on her own and come the few steps to where he was near the door.

When he turned around, her arms slipped around his waist, and her head pulled up against his chest and rested there while she held onto him as tight as she could even though her body was already weakening. Before he was even completely certain of what he was doing, Daniel let his arms go around her in response. He was still crying some; his chest jerked spastically in the aftermath, and tears still streamed down his cheeks.

"Don't," she whispered, voice raspy and barely loud enough to hear.

"What?" he asked quietly, voice still choked.

Her words were choked as well, as if she, too, were crying. But he couldn't see her face with her head pressed to his chest and the top of it just under his chin. "Don't cry for me…please…"

"Wh-why not?" It was all he could think of to say.

He couldn't have expected Vala's quiet, tearful answer. "Because it only makes me love you more…and all that does is hurt worse when you don't love me back."

Daniel could have sworn he stopped breathing. He stared ahead for several seconds in shock, before he finally sucked in a quivering breath and his eyes closed.

"Don't say that," he protested weakly.

She swallowed a moan, but still held onto him. "Why? You don't. It's…all right. I don't blame you…and you don't have...to stay in here…"

He tightened his arms around her and pushed his head down next to hers, so his mouth was by her ear. He could feel her shivering in pain against him.

"Don't. I mean it. Don't say that," Daniel said shakily. Unbidden his mind returned to what Morgan had said no more than an hour before, but suddenly he didn't care that he was admitted exactly what he had denied then. He was doing just exactly what he had firmly declared that he wouldn't do.

"But--"

"I don't ever want to hear you say that again, you hear me?" he told her more fiercely. "Never."

Realizing what he meant, Vala slumped against him, sobbing in pain, joy, shock, and relief all at once. Daniel held on tight, crying again himself. He gently picked her up and carried her back to the bed, where he sat and held onto her more, while she clung to him and cried until she either fell asleep or lost consciousness. He wasn't sure which.

But still Daniel held onto her.

Finally he realized that he never wanted to let go.


	35. Truth

Well, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written. But it was fun! I hope it's a good thing, and you enjoy it. :) Please let me know what you think, and thanks so much for reading! Until next weekend...

Chapter 35

After a little while, Daniel reluctantly made himself lay Vala down. She was still out cold, and he wanted to be here when she awoke, but right now he had something he needed to do. Quietly--just in case--he slipped out of the room and down to the infirmary.

It wasn't a pretty sight. It appeared that not only the two men from the 'gate room, but the guards from outside had also been bitten or stung. The locusts were on Earth by now too. The infirmary was almost full with moaning soldiers, and even a few of the civilian employees, who must have been outside when the creatures attacked. The nursing staff was on full alert, and it was easy to tell which were believers even without glancing at their foreheads. Those who didn't know for sure what were happening were nervous and frightened, flitting from patient to patient on nerves.

Those who knew the truth walked more slowly, attending to their duties with a solemn sadness and sympathy.

Daniel spotted Carolyn Lam pacing near her office door, and made his way over to her. "Hey…how's it going?"

She shook her head. "Not well. I don't know what we're going to do with them if this goes on for five months."

He grimaced. "Ten."

"What?"

"Haven't you looked at Dr. Ben-Judah's web site this week?" he asked more quietly.

"I haven't had the chance. You do know that web site is illegal now, don't you?" Carolyn answered just as softly.

Daniel's eyes rolled. "How could I have missed it? The news channels played Matthews's announcement every ten minutes for two days. 'Supreme Pontif' my foot."

Despite themselves, Carolyn snickered at that, and he let himself join her for a fraction of a moment, before it quickly died. Nothing seemed as funny anymore; not in the world they lived in now.

"'My foot?' Is that the current Christian substitute for 'my you-know-what'?"

He shrugged. "My dad used to say that sometimes. I think he got it from my grandmother."

"Ah, I see…so…where are you getting ten months?"

"Well, we can't be sure, but Dr. Ben-Judah thinks that not only will the victims suffer for five months, but that the locusts will have five months to search for and attack victims. Therefore, the people bitten toward the end…"

"Will be suffering for five months after they leave. Wonderful," Carolyn sighed in exasperation. "I mean, I hope that it will get more people to believe the truth, but I just wish it wasn't so harsh," she frowned.

"I know what you mean," Daniel winced.

She looked at him sympathetically, and he stared at his feet. "How's Vala?"

A hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "Uhm…unconscious…at the moment…" He cleared his throat quickly, fearing of his throat clogging up again. Carolyn remained silent until he was sure he was okay, and then he glanced at her. "Are you sure there's nothing we can do for them?" he asked anxiously.

She shook her head slowly. "It's my job, so I'm having the nurses try whatever they can, but nothing's helping. I didn't think anything would."

Daniel swallowed. "Yeah." He felt a hand on his arm and looked up again.

"It'll be all right," she told him gently. "And I'll do everything I can."

"Thanks. I guess I'd better go now though…if there's nothing I can find here…" She nodded, and he slipped dejectedly away again and back to Vala's room. She was still out, so Daniel sat on his heels beside the bed and watched her. She tossed and turned fitfully, still in pain. He wondered if his being here would even make any difference when she woke up.

* * *

When she'd left Daniel and Vala, Sam had gone straight back to General Landry's office, wanting to know how he was handling yet another new emergency situation.

"It's everywhere again," the general had grumbled. "One came through with you so we know it's not just Earth, and they're all over here, according to the news. We can only assume it's everywhere, as usual." It was almost sarcastic, but she knew he meant it.

"Yes sir," she nodded in agreement. "It would be everywhere, just like the other judgments. She wondered how the jaffa were faring.

Landry gave her an unreadable look and shook his head. "We may have to lock down the base."

Her head snapped back up. "Sir?"

"Too many people have been bitten by those…those _things_ already, and more were bitten just trying to bring inside the men that were stung out there, and close the doors. We can't risk opening them again unless we have a way to keep them out, or they're gone."

Sam swallowed and came from the doorway to sit down in one of the chairs across from the general's desk. "Sir…we only have enough supplies on the base for three months, or _maybe_ four if we stretch, but not five."

He looked at her. "Five?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes sir; that's how long they'll be here."

Landry stared at her for a long moment before sighing. "I hate to admit it, but the lot of you have never been wrong about these things before."

Sam just shrugged. "I agree that we should take precautions when going in and out of the mountain, and anyone going outside should wear protective clothing. But there's no reason to completely shut the base down. The rest of the world--the galaxy--is going to have to function with those things out there on the rampage. We'll have to."

"I suppose you're right about that, too. But we'll see what The Powers That Be have to say about it, and I'll let you know." With that, he looked back at the top of his desk, frowning.

As usual, there didn't seem much use in talking with him anymore. He wouldn't listen to anymore, and she knew it.

* * *

Vala was awake, and she knew it. The pain was pressing into her mind again, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. She kept still, kept her eyes closed.

It didn't help.

She felt movement by her left arm, bit back a groan, and opened her eyes. It was Daniel. His head was in his arms on top of the bed, and he was apparently on his knees next to it. He was also asleep.

Vala couldn't help but give a small smile, and weakly ran her fingers over and through his limp hair. She wondered if what he'd said before she'd passed out had meant what she thought it did…

Either the hand on his head, or her harsh breathing now that she was awake must have gotten to him, because he stirred. She almost regretted it. Daniel was even cuter asleep, in her opinion. The deeper lines in his face that had developed since the beginning of this whole 'Tribulation' thing were smoothed out then, mostly.

After a moment he lifted his head, disoriented, and focused on her. "Hey…"

She looked at him for a moment. "You're still here."

"Of course I am," he answered tiredly--but sincerely, as he sat up, bringing himself closer to her. "I'm not going anywhere, Vala."

Now why was that making her tear up all of a sudden. For a moment she said nothing. "I….I-I…" She had to stop to cry out a little, and Daniel was up on the bed sitting beside her in an instant. He pulled her into his arms again, and she borrowed herself into them gratefully. When she could, she spoke again, hanging onto his sleeve more out of fear than pain.

"Really? You mean it?" Vala asked anxiously.

Daniel held onto her gently, and she heard his voice, muffled just a bit by her hair. "I mean it."

* * *

Sam wasn't able to get out of the SGC until several days after the initial locust attack, when the swarms thinned. The smoke from the object that had hit the Earth, releasing them, dissipated, but the bugs stayed. It was hard to tell where all of them were at any given time, but things turned out to be much as she'd expected.

There were plans to begin running planes and such again soon, but with tight airlocks between buildings and air vehicles at all times, and same such methods for getting from building into ground vehicles. People would stay inside as much as they could, and wear bulky protective clothing outside. Sam had to put on such clothing for General Landry to let her out of the base, finally, no matter how much she insisted that believers could not be stung. In the end, she supposed it made sense to do what anyone else would. There was no need to raise suspicions about herself and the other who didn't already know they were believers.

She called ahead to let Simon know she was coming, and he was right inside the door when she arrived. As soon as the door was shut he scooped her up into a tight embrace and kissed her, and she could tell how much he had just wanted to run out to meet her. But again, it would have raised suspicion, when everyone else on the street was staying inside.

"I'm glad you're okay," she sighed, holding onto him for a moment. "What's it been like out here?"

"It's hard to say," he answered. "I haven't gone anywhere, but I've stayed busy enough. There's a new wave of responses on the website--people wanting to know the truth."

"That's good."

"And that's not all."

Sam finally pulled back some and looked at him. "What?"

"Well, most who were stung have family to take care of them, but that sweet elderly woman next door---"

"Mrs. Farla? She's been my neighbor since I moved to Colorado….Oh no, did she get bitten too? She's in her late eight, for goodness sakes; her health has already been getting worse…"

Simon nodded and sighed. "I'm afraid so. She was having trouble, so I moved her over here with us, and I've been looking after her. With the locusts out, her son probably won't be able to come to help her with things. I hope you don't mind…"

She shook her head. "No, no of course I don't mind…" She chewed on her lip a moment. "I'm just sorry she's one of the victims. I know she hasn't been listening to the truth, but she's always been kind. Back when she could still drive and get out easily we'd go to lunch sometimes."

"I'm sorry…but there was nothing I could do about that part. We can only help her and pray, and…I 'have' been speaking with her while she's been here. I think that maybe she is close to accepting."

"Where is she?"

"She's in the guest room, but she is still sleeping, I believe. As little of it as she gets, I don't want to wake her."

Sam nodded, sighed heavily and held onto him again, her head against his chest.

* * *

All over the world, those afflicted by the demon locusts tried to kill themselves, when the pain became too much. They tried to drown themselves, slit their wrists, jump off of building, or sit in closed car garages with the engine running…but none died. For the first time in recent human history, there was a day when no-one died. There would be five months of days when no-one died.

Stargate Command was never put on lockdown, but it was as close to being in lockdown as it could be without actually being in one. There was little traffic in our out, from the surface _or_ the stargate. 'Gate travel was suspended until further notice--most likely until the bugs were completely gone. And that would be a while.

Sam went back and forth as much as she was allowed, spending time at home with her husband and Mrs. Farla, and then time at the SGC with her friends, and helping with Vala and the others that had been stung. In spare time she helped Simon and the eastern Trib Force on Ben-Judah's website, and worked on plans for the off-world co-op. Daniel stayed with Vala. There wasn't a day where he wasn't sitting with her in her room, talking with her--or to her, when she was hurting to much to speak--or reading to her, or just sitting, holding her hand. After a few weeks, she started to let him read the Bible to her instead of fiction. More often than not he slept on her couch.

Siler, with no family in the first place, and Reynolds, having had no family since the rapture--his children had been taken, and his wife killed in one of millions of car crashes--stayed on the base with no complaints, and helped where they could, doing whatever they could. When not talking to her father, Carolyn spent a good deal of time in the infirmary caring for the afflicted there, but after only a month or two, it was obvious that it was getting to her. What had been funny before the Tribulation began, and a little bit humorous before the locusts first attacked, now wasn't funny at all, to any of them. Things just weren't the same anymore.

Jack, Sara, and Gavin were still in New Babylon. Business in general was slow there, with much of the population suffering from locust bites, but Carpathia was just as vibrant as ever, if not more so. It was work to dodge being suspected, and Mac, David Hassid, and the new co-pilot for Carpathia's plane--a Christian Mac had brought in named Abdullah Smith--all felt it too. A couple of the others faked locust bites, and it worked, but the O'Neills had been shut in their apartment during the initial attack, and after that took the usual 'precautions' like everyone else, so there was no need. They all managed one way or another.

Gavin grew and changed like a weed. He grew taller, could walk steadily, and his small vocabulary grew. He was almost eighteen months old when Buck Williams finally got back to the states, and Chloe had their child. The baby was a boy, and was given the name Kenneth Bruce for two of their dear friends who had died since the rapture. Bruce the Tribulation Force SG-1 had known as well, and all of them were happy with the name, though it was saddening as well. It made them remember their own absent friends.

On the positive side, Mrs. Farla become a Christian after a few weeks of suffering, but listening to Sam and Simon. At the SGC, the believers led more unbelievers to Christ. It was more about choice than anything, now. After everything else, and then that voice from the heavens announcing the forthcoming woes, no one could say that God did not exist. They could only refuse to acknowledge Him.

* * *

It had been over a month since the original locust attack. Sam and Simon had just finished Bible study with Mrs. Farla that afternoon, and the woman had retreated to unconsiousness again, encouraged. Sam set down the Bible they had given her, which she had been reading to her, and quietly followed Simon out, arms crossed tight.

"I'm glad this will be over soon," she sighed once the door to the guest room was closed. "It's great that's she's growing as a believer even though she has to deal with that, but…well, I'm just glad it won't be much longer."

Simon looked worried. "But her health still grows worse, even during this time. I worry whether she'll survive much longer afterward."

Sam grimaced. "Would it be such a bad thing if she didn't? I love her a lot, but, well…"

"I know," he nodded, putting an arm around her shoulder as they came out of the hallway into the living room.

She would have said something, but suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door. Sam glanced up quickly. "Now who…?" She reluctantly stepped out from under Simon's arm and over to the door. "Maybe it's Daniel, or one of the other believers from the SGC…" she muttered. She swung the door open, and had to resist the urge to gape.

It was a teenage girl, covered head to toe in long pants, sweatshirt, and gloves. Dressed like that, she probably wasn't a believer, so Sam quickly pulled her inside and shut the door before any locusts could find her, if they were near.

"I-I'm sorry," the girl stammered before Sam or Simon could even open their mouth. She pulled back her hood and they saw that she was not, in fact, a believer. "I know you don't know me; I was just walking, I…" She looked at them, almost frightened.

Simon smiled kindly. "There's no reason to be scared. We're not going to run you off."

"What's your name?" Sam asked gently.

"Jenny…my name is Jenny," she said hesitantly.

"Well I'm Simon, and this is my wife Samantha; would you like to tell us what you're doing wondering around by yourself out there at a time like this?"

Jenny swallowed and stared at the floor "I just…well…almost everyone else in my house has been bitten by one of those horrible things…either when they came first or since, and…I just had to get out of there for a while. It's too much," she said quietly. "I didn't really know where I was going or why I was feeling crazy enough to go out when they could be lurking around, but I just went. I guess….my feet just kind of brought me here."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"It sounds silly, doesn't it? I felt like I needed to find something…but I don't know what. I just ended up here. If you want me to I'll just go…"

Simon exchanged a meaningful glance with Sam, who was wondering the same thing she was sure he was: Was this God's doing? He held out a hand. "No need. We want to hear more. Do you want to take a seat?"

* * *

"Well, a couple of my younger siblings disappeared when everyone else did," Jenny shared half an hour or so later, after a warm drink and some lighter conversation. Finally they had gotten back around to how she had ended up on their doorstep. She grimaced at the memory.

"We all lost someone when that happened," Sam told her quietly. "But they're not gone forever."

The girl shrugged, but seemed like she was listening. "I hear that's what some people think….I heard it just after it happened. I'd heard about something like that 'before' it happened, really, but I didn't know the details and didn't think it was possible. But then Matt and Elsie were gone and--" She stopped and took a deep breath.

"It's all right," Simon said gently. "You don't have to tell us right now."

"No, I want to," she gulped. "It's just that…after that, Nicolae Carpathia popped up, and I thought he had all the answers. I let myself just listen to what he had to say about everything for a long time. It was easier. But I'm realizing…he doesn't know it all. There's something else going on here." Jenny looked up, eyes just a little moist. "And I want to know what it is. I don't even know what I'm asking, really, but can you help me?"

Sam smiled. "If you'll listen, I think we can. Or rather--we know someone else who can."

She blinked in interest and sat up straighter. "You do?"

Jenny did listen attentively to what they had to say. When the desperate girl learned that she could see her brother and sister again, she wept. She accepted Christ there, in their living room, and Sam sent up prayer after prayer of thanks.

"What's that on your forehead!" Jenny gasped after praying her own prayer. "It wasn't there a minute ago…"

"It was; you just couldn't see it," Simon chuckled.

When Jenny heard also that the locusts could not harm believers, she begged them to come back to her home with her to share the truth with her family. They checked in on Mrs. Farla, found her still asleep, left a note to say where they had gone, and went. Jenny keep her hood down, and didn't bother to put her gloves back on.

From there, things happened almost too fast for Sam and Simon to believe it could all be true. Jenny's suffering mother also became a believer on the spot, and within a couple of weeks, her older siblings had come around. Excited for the truth, all of them insisted on going around to the neighboring houses to share the gospel, Jenny leading the pack. Even so, when, a month later, more people from the neighborhood had become believers in a few short weeks than in the entire years since the rapture, the Docketts were drafted as their spiritual leader. With the large SGC group unable to meet because of the travel restrictions with the locusts being about, they had no reason to say no.

They had to be careful; with no-one but believers daring to go outside unprotected, there were few large groups of people gathering anywhere on the planet at this point in time, and the GC had control of all state-of-the-art satellites. But still the new group grew, and all Sam could do was thank God for the chance to help bring so many more people into the family.

* * *

The phone rang over and over, but there was no answer. It wasn't until the answering machine picked up that Jack realized he shouldn't be calling Daniel's office. Even four months after the first attack of the locusts, sometimes he forgot that Daniel was almost always in Vala's room, because usually he _was_ in his office. He pressed the button on the phone base, and dialed again, adding a different extension number on the end for that room. At first, it didn't seem like he was going to answer that either, but finally there was a click, and his friend's groggy voice.

"_Hello_?"

"Hey, Daniel, it's me."

There was a yawn on the other end of the line. "_Hi, Jack. How are things over there? Is there a specific reason you called, or…_?"

"No, no specific reason. Everything's…well, the same, over here. Half the people are stuck in bed, and the other half run around like scared chickens when they're not in a secure building, but whatever…" Absently Jack twisted the phone cord around his hands, hoping he wouldn't be blocked out, as usual. Daniel had gotten better at letting other people help him, since he'd become a Christian, but recently he'd begun reverting to clamming up again. It had a lot to do not only with the fact that Vala was suffering, but also that she still had not become a believer.

"_Yeah…Uh, I'm fine, Jack._"

"You sure? You sound tired."

"_Vala's out; I just dozed off_," he answered a little too quickly.

Jack sighed. "Daniel, you're spending way too much time awake. I'm not even there, and I can tell that."

"_I won't have to anymore in a month or so_."

"That's beside the point." He saw Sara glancing over at him from the kitchen, through the doorway into the living room. She had a concerned look on her face, and all he could do was shrug to say _I'm working on him_. She sighed and turned back to whate she was cooking.

"_Well what else am I supposed to do, Jack? She can't even talk anymore; I'm not going to leave her alone_," Daniel protested wearily.

"That's not what I'm saying. Even if it you do just sleep on that couch, _do it more often_ for cryin' out loud," he huffed.

"_I'll try_…"

They talked for a few more minutes, until Gavin wandered over and looked up him. "Daddy phone?"

Jack covered the receiver with a hand. "Yeah, buddy. Daddy's on the phone with Uncle Daniel."

The little boy started hopping up and down. He hadn't seen Daniel for a year, but there must have been a vague memory of him in there somewhere, because he always wanted in when Jack and Sara were talking to any of the people back home. "Unca Danl! Talk Unca Danl!"

He smiled at the kid. "Okay, just a minute." He uncovered the receiver. "Hey, Daniel, wanna talk to Gavin? He's jumping up and down over here." Not to mention that he thought it was a wonderful idea at the moment. Maybe talking to the uppity eighteen-month-old for a minute would help pull him out of that stupor of his.

"_Uh, sure_."

"Great! Here." Jack handed the phone over to his son, to grabbed it eagerly and pressed it to his head, not quite in the right lace. But it worked for the purpose.

"Hi Unca Danl!" So he hadn't quite gotten the pronunciation yet. But hey--he was still really good at talking for his age. And he was such a sunny kid, even in the world he lived in. Jack found himself more and more grateful for his family--and his friends/extended family every day.

And he couldn't wait until they were all together again.

* * *

Daniel had to pull the phone almost away from his ear for a second when Gavin yelled an enthusiastic hello into his ear.

"Hey, Gavin," he answered, smiling just a little despite himself.

"_Unca Danl good_?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he lied. "How about you?"

"_Good! Ant V good_?"

Whatever of that small smile that was left vanished, and he sighed. He tried _not _to look at her, lying there on the bed. After four months of suffering, just like the others who had been afflicted, she was pale and thin. When she was fully conscious--which at times was too much and at others not enough--she only tossed and turned and groaned, sometimes shouting or even screaming. She drank little water, and ate less.

Vala had said almost nothing for the last eight weeks. She didn't protest when he read to her, when she was even aware enough to notice, but she didn't seem eager about it either. Daniel couldn't tell at all what was going on in her mind, if much of anything was going on in it at all. Sometimes, she looked a bit thoughtful, but about what he couldn't know. The last time he had been able to really talk to her about anything, she had still seemed to think herself unworthy of salvation. He knew he should leave it up to God, but he worried about her every day.

"Uhm, no, Gavin, Aunt Vala is still sick; but she'll be okay soon."

"_Pray. Unca Danl pray_?"

Daniel stared at the floor in front of the chair he was sitting in beside the bed and swallowed. The stress of the past so many weeks were too much. If he didn't stop worrying about Vala so much, and leave the burden in God's hands, he would never get through until the end.

The boy talked to him for another moment or two, before handing the phone back to his father. Sara was busy, so Jack bid him farewell, and hung up. Daniel looked at Vala for a moment or so; she was starting to wake up again, and he could hear her whimpering as consciousness returned--or what passed for consciousness in her condition. But he knew she still wouldn't really be awake for a while longer.

Without another thought, he got down on his knees again. It was time to have faith.

* * *

Was she waking up? Or was it her dreams playing mean tricks on her again? She couldn't even escape the pain while sleeping. It hurt too much to talk, or eat much, or even open her eyes at times…Now was one of those times.

Vala lay as still as she could, not daring to move for fear of tempting it to become worse. Now that she was awake, she could feel her chest starting to heave in harsh breaths, and she had to resist the urge to cry out. Daniel was undoubtedly here somewhere, and she didn't want to worry him any more than she had to….

Why was he always there? The others came to see her when they could, see knew. She couldn't talk to them anymore, and probably not until this was over--would it ever be--but Daniel was always there. She wondered if he _ever_ left the room. Sometimes he just sat, sometimes he talked to her, sometimes read from the Bible, sometimes other books. It was helpful, and Vala wished she had the strength to thank him.

Sometimes, too, she would wake to hear him praying quietly beside the bed, and as she gained a little more awareness, she realized that she could hear his murmuring voice now, off to her left and down. Was it really her he was praying for, all of those times she heard him? Did he care that much what she decided to believe? What _did_ she believe?

She couldn't deny that God existed up there. Everything Daniel and his friends said would happen had happened. Even this. And the more she heard all of the details from Daniel, the more he read to her, the more sense it all made, the whole being forgiven so you could go to heaven thing. It made sense that people needed that because they weren't perfect. If anyone knew that people weren't perfect, she did. She supposed she believed it--what he did. But it couldn't be true that God would still want _her_, not after everything…It was better to forget it all. It was too late for her. If she went to hell, it was entirely her fault. Not Daniel's, no matter how much he might think so.

And still she wondered why Daniel stayed so close. So he cared about her….that much she knew. He had told her not to say it when she said he didn't lover her, but what did that mean? Since that day, he had said nothing on the subject, and she hadn't dared to bring it up back when she could still talk to him. Vala knew she loved him; she'd told him that much that day four months ago, and he seemed to have listened. But did he truly love her in return? What was she going to do once this was over? What would _they _do?

It seemed there was more thinking to be done, over that and….the other thing. It seemed to matter so much to Daniel, that it deserved thinking on more. Not to mention that she had almost another entire month where she would be able to do nothing else, if even that, because of this pain.

There was a new sound, beside the bed. Vala listen as hard as her scattered mind would let her, and finally realized that it, too, was coming from Daniel, in his voice. Was he….was he crying? With every bit of splintered concentration she had, she tried to listen to what he was saying. He was speaking softly, his voice broken by tears and slightly muffled, maybe by the edge of the bedspread at the side of the bed. She could feel it pulling in that direction a bit, as if he were leaning against the side while he was kneeling, as she knew he was. He always did that.

"God…I don't know what else to do. I've shared the truth with her…so many times. But she doesn't understand that she would be accepted by you, no matter what she's done, if she would only ask…I don't know how to get through to her. But…I'm not the one who's supposed to, am I? We're supposed to share the truth, but in the end it's all up to you, and I just…I forgot that sometimes. But please…open her heart. I just…" he trailed off for longer this time, before pulling in a shuddering breath. "I don't want to sound selfish, Lord, but I don't want to spend eternity without her, either. I…I love her."

Vala didn't hear much else after that. The world started to fade out again, and her head was spinning from what Daniel had said. Was it true? All of it?

* * *

Hank Landry shooed the technicians out of his office once they had finished moving the holographic receivers and transmitters that had been in the control room. Then he sat down at his desk, waiting for the call that would tell him Carpathia was ready to being transmitting. With the locusts out there, he couldn't easily have Landry come there, so the Potentate would meet with him this way. Apparently he had something important to discuss with the general, but Landry had no idea what. He hoped it was nothing negative; going the past four months with no 'gate travel to keep them busy, and having an infirmary full of sting victims had been stressful enough.

But no matter what it was, he was apprehensive about the 'meeting'. His suspicions about Carpathia had started not long ago, but they were growing quickly enough.

The phone rang, shaking him from his thoughts, and he picked it up. It was Leon Fortunato on the other end, telling him that the transmitting/receiving would begin shortly. Then the 'Supreme Commander' (now who had come up with 'that'?) hung up, and Landry was left sitting again, but not for long. A moment later, the holographic transmitters crackled to like, and Nicolae Carpathia was standing in front of him.

He stood. "Your Excellency," he nodded. He didn't particularly like the new name anymore, but he was expected to use it. Oh well.

Carpathia smiled. "Ah, general. How nice to 'see' you again. I do so enjoy this technology."

"It does come quite in handy, doesn't it?"

"Indeed." The Potentate sat down in his office on the other side of the world, but judged it just right so it looked like he was sitting in one of the chairs across from Landry's desk. "Now--we have an important issue or two to discuss."

Landry nodded. "Your request for a meeting did seem urgent. Is something wrong, Your Excellency?"

"There might be, General Landry. There just may be. You see, Global community satellites have picked up an unusually large amount of gathering and activity in a community near the edge of Colorado Springs, near this mountain of yours. We suspect subversive activity." The Potentate reached behind him, and brought into the hologram a

Map of Colorado Springs, with a certain section circled in red. Landry leaned over his desk a bit to get a closer look.

"But…that's where Samantha and Simon Dockett live."

Carpathia's eyebrows went up. "We know this, general."

Landry frowned. "I've known Sam for years, sir. She would never do anything you might be trying to accuse her of." He had to remember to keep the anger out of his voice. It was hard, even considering who he was talking to.

"I know you like to think that of people you know, General Landry," Carpathia sighed. "But in case you do not remember, I have even had people I believed to be good friends turn against me and my cause--Mr. Stonogal and Mr. Cothran, for instance. I would never have believed them capable of such deception. Yet they plotted against me."

"I remember, but you don't know her. She wouldn't--"

"General, please. Samantha Dockett is not a registered member or Enigma Babylon One World Faith, and her husband is on record as the pastor of an unauthorized Christian church, full of those that follow the teachings of Tsion Ben-Judah. Doubtlessly, she believes these things too. This society is attempting to be tolerant of their difference in belief, but these 'Christians' have caused endless trouble for our new way of life since the disappearances."

Hank was still frowning. "Well, just what do you think they're doing over there?"

Carpathia sat forward, putting the map away, out of the hologram. "After watching the location for over a month, and tapping into several phone calls, we believe that they are planning actions against the established government."

Landry had to fight to keep his face straight and his tone semi-respectful. "Your Excellency, with all due respect: That is ludicrous. And tapping into their phone lines? That's…that's just not--"

"We do what we must to protect the future of this new world, general," Carpathia interrupted, his voice not as kind as before.

"Interfering in the private affairs of innocent citizens?"

"They may not be innocent," the Potentate shot back sharply. "I am ordering you to find out. And if there are any more these…these Judah-ites under your command, I demand to be informed the moment you know."

"But, Your Excellency…"

"While what I said at the Wailing Wall during the time of darkness is still valid, I will not stand for allowing the legs of the Global Community to be swept out from under it before it has even fully stood tall, general, and I am counting on _you_ to be sure that that is not done from here. I have been able to trust you implicitly in the past, and I hope that you do not prove me wrong in this. Is that understood, General Landry?" Carpathia glared.

Hank looked at him and resisted the urge to swallow. "Yes sir."

Moments later, Carpathia's image was gone, and Landry sat down again. He didn't believe the same thing Carolyn and her friends did, and he knew that Sam and her husband would never do anything as drastic as what Carpathia had said, but…what if he didn't do what he had been ordered?

It didn't take long to firmly decide that he didn't care. It didn't matter what he believed; he wouldn't betray his friends.


	36. Vala

Well, I _made_ time for this. I wasn't going to make you wait. I hope you enjoy this, and please let me know what you think. :) Thanks so much!

Chapter 36

A piercing on-and-off beep penetrated the house, and Sam looked up from her Bible in surprise. When she realized it was the timer on the oven she started to jump up from the couch, but a small blur in a red sweatshirt rushed past her, calling, "I'll get it!" Seconds later, the timer had gone off, and Sam came into the kitchen to see Jenny, long black hair pulled back in a ponytail out of the way, taking another batch of cookies out of the oven. They were for the meeting that evening, and it was easier to make them here then at Jenny's house, where her mother and one of her two siblings were still suffering the effects of locust bites.

"You're paying more attention than I am," Sam admitted with amusement.

The girl--who she now knew to be almost sixteen--set the pan on top of the stove and pulled off the oven mitt. She shrugged. "I'm just paranoid about them getting burned or something. I'm just learning how to cook, remember? I'll never be as good as you."

Sam stepped over and switched off the electric oven. "Oh nonsense; you're doing great. Simon liked your lasagna last week just as much as he likes mine," she smiled.

"That's just because you taught me how to make it," she smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I won't argue with that part," she teased. "Hey, are the cookies from the last batch cool enough yet?"

"They should be." Jenny pivoted, found where she'd set the cooling rack, and picked one up. "Still warm, but not too hot, and not falling apart. I think they're ready to try."

"Ooo, good." Sam took one too, and bit into it. They were great. She and Jenny were grinning at each other when the phone rang. Surprised, she gulped down the rest of the bite she'd taken and picked up. "Hello?"

"_Colonel_?" It was General Landry. Jenny got started in on getting the cookies off of the pan.

She frowned. "Yes, sir, it's me…is something wrong?"

"_No, Sam, nothing's wrong...At least I don't think so. Just…have you noticed anything…_unusual_, in that area lately_?"

"Unusual, sir?" Why did that not sound good?"

"_Yes, unusual--besides the fact that everyone avoids the outdoors because of those bugs, as usual_."

Sam took a deep breath. "Uhm, no sir…nothing unusual."

"_Good, good. Just needed to make sure of something. Oh, and just so you know, there's no need to come in for a few weeks. With those things still out there, there's not much more we can do here with approval for 'gate travel_."

"Are you sure, sir? I'll be glad to help with anything--"

"_It's all right, thank you. But there's nothing to do, so it's fine if you stay home_."

"If you say so sir…"

"_I do. Get some rest, since apparently you don't have to worry about those things…_"

"Yes sir…"

"_I'll talk to you later, Colonel_."

"Goodbye, sir."

The connection broke, and Sam hung up the phone slowly, still frowning.

"What is it, Sam?" Jenny asked, looking at her, spatula in hand.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. That was strange."

"How so?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"My boss just called and told me that I didn't need to come in until the locusts were gone. The reason he gave made perfect sense, I suppose, but it just…didn't ring right. I think that maybe the GC has been picking up on us here."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Maybe our gatherings have been noticed. We have gotten a lot bigger recently. Maybe we should cancel the study tonight."

"Well, I know we need to be careful, but what about the cookies?"

Sam picked up her half eaten cookie again. "We can still use them. We'll have to tell people as they get here to go home. They'll start arriving any minute; we can give a few cookies for the trouble of walking over here."

Jenny sighed. "I'll get the plastic bags." She bent down over a cupboard and opened it. "Simon's not going to be happy about this."

"He'll understand."

* * *

Another month passed, and the news channel reported that sightings of the locusts abruptly stopped. The one creature that had been pinned up in the science department at the SGC disappeared right out of its cage. There was a momentary panic when a few thought it had escaped, but security footage soon showed that it had simply been there one minute, and gone the next. Daniel, still exhausted from being awake with Vala so much, didn't know any of this until later.

He knew it had been about five months, and that Vala's suffering should stop sooner or later. He hoped it was sooner. That day, he was passed out on the couch in her room. Something woke him up, and when he looked around groggily he realized that she was awake and looking around in bewilderment. Slowly, got pulled himself up and went to sit in the chair beside the bed.

"Hey…feeling any better?"

She turned her head on the pillow to look at him wearily. "It doesn't hurt," she told him, as if she didn't believe it. Her voice was hoarse, but then again it was the first time in a couple of months that he knew of that she'd tried to say anything. She coughed and cleared her throat, and Daniel found half of a smile.

"Then it's over. You still have to recover; you need your strength back, but…" He trailed off when he realized she wasn't really listening. Instead, her hand had moved over toward where he'd leaned his forearms on the edge of the bed, and now it closed around one of his.

"You stayed with me," she said quietly. Her eyes bore into him, and Daniel swallowed.

"Where would I have gone?"

* * *

The locusts were gone, and those first bitten were beginning to recover. Sam didn't see much of Jenny for a couple of days, since she was at home helping her family. It was hard enough when her mother was single. Sam and Simon took care of Mrs. Farla; the suffering had stopped, but now her health was only a shadow of what she'd had left of it before the plague. Only a few days after the end of it, she asked for Sam and Simon to come to her room so she could speak to them.

"You've both done so much for me, dears," she told them weakly. "But I just don't believe I'll be around for much longer."

"Oh, you'll be fine," Sam protested. "Now that those demons are gone, we can get you to a hospital."

"Oh, no, dear; there's no need for that. Goodness gracious, I'm almost ninety! It's time for me to go; and now that I'm sure of where I'll be going when I do, I don't mind at all. Heaven is certainly better than here--especially during what's coming. I'm only sorry the two of you have to endure it."

"Mrs. Farla, are you certain…?" Simon looked troubled. "We could get you medical help…"

"No no. It's all right. All I'd like is for you to find a lawyer or some such person who can help me to legally change my will. My husband was the only beneficiary, since we never had any children, so now there is no-one. I'd like to change it to be the two of you."

Sam's mouth gaped open. "Us? But you don't have to--"

"No 'buts' now, Samantha. I've made up my mind. If I don't do that, everything I own will only go to the government--the Antichrist's government. I don't want that, and besides: you and your Tribulation Force may need whatever money there is. Understand that in about a year or less you may not be able to buy and sell anymore without taking a mark of loyalty to Carpathia, which none of you will do, I know. You'll need to start stocking up."

Sam swallowed hard and exchanged glances with Simon. "Right…. "

Mrs. Farla smiled. "Good. And thank you so much, dears…for everything."

The next day, there was a man from the Springs Baptist Church congregation who also happened to be a lawyer that agreed to pay a visit to help straighten out Mrs. Farla's affairs. Two days later, she passed away peacefully in her bed.

* * *

"Vala, that's enough for today; you don't need to wear yourself out," Daniel chided gently, trying to pull her back toward the bed. It had been almost a week since the pain had stopped, and she was already doing much better back on her feet than the other recovering patients in the infirmary and elsewhere on the base. She walked back and forth across her room daily, many times. He was sure she probably did it more when he wasn't there watching her.

She huffed and sank down to sit on the edge of the bed, finally. "Well, how am I supposed to get back in shape if I don't exercise?"

"I know. Yes, you need to work your muscles, but you don't need to work off what little meat you've still got on your bones," he told her with a raised eyebrow. "Just be careful, okay?"

Vala nodded wordlessly and gave him a bit of a smile, but that was all, before staring off into space again. She'd been doing that a lot this week. They hadn't really talked much, and he wasn't sure what was on her mind.

There was a knock on the door, and Daniel sighed to himself and went to open it. "Sam," he said as she stepped in. "Hi…I heard about Mrs. Farla. I'm sorry."

Sam nodded and sighed. "Yeah….thanks. She's better off now at least, thank goodness. We'll see her when we get there."

Daniel nodded. "I wish I could have met her before; but I guess I will later."

"Exactly," she said, smiling briefly. Then she hugged him hard, because they hadn't actually seen each other in a little over a month, and Daniel returned it.

"It's good to see you."

"You too." She let go, and saw Vala, who had stood again and taken a couple of steps closer. "Hey." She hugged the other woman too. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Vala actually gave a real smile then. "Thanks."

Sam didn't stay long; she had just gotten back to the SGC, finally, and there were things that needed to be done. When she left, Vala watched the door for a moment, looking thoughtful again.

"Something wrong?" Daniel asked. He sat beside her, and she shook her head.

"Not really. I was just thinking."

"I could see that," he teased.

She smiled for a moment, and finally looked at him. "You stayed with me," she reiterated. It was the first thing she'd said to him, early that week. This time he just looked at her patiently, not sure where she was going with it.

"All that time, and you never left. You were always there when I needed you--for five whole months. Why?"

"Because I care about you," he said quietly. For once, his gaze didn't waver, just saying it that way, but Vala nodded and looked down again. She picked at her shirt sleeve, seemingly deep in thought again.

"Because you care…I knew that but…" She paused for a moment. "If you--just you, a person--can care enough to do that, even though I've been awful to you at times…then I suppose a supreme being would be capable of more…don't you think?"

A sudden hope swelled in his chest, and Daniel smiled and nodded. "Of course."

Vala stared at her lap for another moment, and then nodded again. Not looking up, she pulled up the covers on the bed and slipped under them, looking tired again. That wasn't unusual this week, but Daniel's heart sunk anyway. "Need some sleep?"

She sighed and nodded, and did she swallow? He didn't know, but he knew she wanted to be left alone. As long as he'd known her, he knew the signs. "Okay…" he patted her leg through the comforter, and stood. "Good night," he told her, even though it was the middle of the morning. But she was under the blankets and turned toward the other wall, and it looked like she was already asleep.

* * *

For the first time since the beginning of the locust attacks, all five believers working for the GC in New Babylon that knew of each other were able to meet. Director David Hassid, Mac McCullum, Abdullah Smith, Jack O'Neill, and Annie Christopher all converged in David's office. Annie was a newest, though really not that new anymore. She and David were head-over-heels for each other, and it was no longer a secret. The GC didn't mind that part, as long as she agreed to be moved to a different department. But both of them still worked in the palace, could see each other often, and they made quite a cute couple, really.

"Who else is glad that's over?" Mac shivered, siking into a chair.

"It's not entirely over; there are still people who were bitten later that will still be suffering," David pointed out.

Abdullah was the one to answer. "Yes, but we do not have to fake it anymore."

"Well, true; there's that…"

"That was _not _fun, even if it wasn't real," Annie grimaced.

Jack couldn't resist the urge to smile a bit, because he hadn't needed to, and Mac shot him a look. "Don't even say anything, Jack."

"What? I wasn't going to."

David raised an eyebrow at him. "And I don't know how to use a computer." Which was funny, of course, because David had the most computer genius of anyone any of them had ever known. Jack dared to think he even topped Carter--uh, Sam. But then again, she was more the physics and stuff, not just computers…

"Ok, ok, sorry!" he smirked.

Mac sat forward. "Ok, guys. Look, it's a good thing we got through this without raising any suspicion--we think--as long as we remember that in about a year or less, we'll still have to get out of here."

"When they start that whole mark thing…" Jack trailed.

"Right," David nodded.

"That is, if nothing happens and we don't have to run sooner," Annie frowned.

Abdullah nodded in agreement, but was frowning. "Unfortunately, we cannot plan that part in advance, when we do not know exactly when it will be and what kind of chances we will have to get out."

True. Jack didn't know either, exactly when the Tok'ra would come to get them out. There was no way to plan the details of that very far out either. They could only hope that there wasn't an emergency.

"I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it."

* * *

Back in his office, Daniel tried his hardest to work, to get his mind off of what he couldn't change…anything but think about Vala. But he couldn't get her out of his mind. The way she had been acting just before he'd left her room, and a feeling in the back of his mind wouldn't let him do anything else. So he did the only thing he could do.

He stopped everything and prayed for her harder than he ever had before.

* * *

In the month since Landry had called Sam and informed her that there was no need for her to report in since the creatures were gone, it had been easy to dodge Carpathia. He'd done it on purpose. If he had no way to observe her and the others in that group, and no way to get to them with those creatures on the loose, the Potentate wouldn't be able to scold him for not getting results.

But now it would be more of a problem, since he would be around her more often, and would have the freedom to venture out. The Potentate might want him to go there to find out what was really going on --not that he didn't know; he knew it had to be some kind of Christian group--or something else…But he didn't want anything to happen to any of them.

For now, all Hank could do was stall until he came up with a better plan.

* * *

Daniel didn't realize he'd drifted off until he felt someone shaking him.

"Daniel, come on; wake up, silly!"

He jerked awake, his head popping up off of the desk and turning in surprise. He had to blink a few times before the green and black shape in front of him turned into a person. His glasses were still on, but they had been pressed against his face for who knew how long.

"Vala?" he frowned in confusion, standing.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is get down here when you haven't used your legs much in three months or so?" she teased, grinning. She was breathing hard, but otherwise seemed fine. And why was she in such a good mood all of a sudden? "The least you could do is be awake."

"What are you doing down here?" he asked, pulling off his glasses and polishing them on his shirt; they'd been smudged.

He wasn't entirely sure without his glasses, but she looked disappointed at that answer. "What do you mean what am I doing here?"

"You're not supposed to be walking around outside your room by yourself; you could collapse," Daniel scolded. "You're still weak."

"You didn't notice?"

"What are you talking about?"

Vala sighed in frustration. "Oh for goodness sakes; put your glasses back on!" She snatched them out of his hands and put them on his face herself.

"Ah! Hey!" he yelped in surprise. As she let go he reached up and straightened them. "What are you…" Daniel let his arms drop when his glasses were sitting right, but then he couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't even really notice Vala's grin. He was too busy staring at the mark on her forehead.

"Surprised?"

Daniel was gaping now. "Wh-what…?" She laughed and threw her arms around him. He fell back and step and returned the embrace in surprise.

"It was just now; I guess finally clicked that it didn't matter what I'd done. Granted, I still don't understand 'how' He can love us that much, but I suppose it doesn't matter!" she told him enthusiastically. She pulled back and peered up at him. "And yours! I can see yours. They really have been there the whole time. I thought you were making that part up!" She reached up and rubbed at his forehead for a second or two, still wearing a silly smile. "I love it; it's almost three-dimensional if you look close enough…and it really is shaped like a cross. This God of yours…well, of ours--He's sure got a flare for the dramatic, hasn't He?"

Somehow, that kicked in reality, and Daniel realized what was happening. "Vala!"

"What?"

Suddenly grinning uncontrollably himself, he brought a hand to her forehead and rubbed at _her_ mark. When it stayed perfectly in place, he finally knew he wasn't dreaming.

Laughing, Daniel pulled her back into a tight embrace. "Vala, thank God! I'm so happy I don't even know what else to say…"

She chuckled and pecked him on the cheek, holding on just as tightly. "Say you'll help me out here so I'll actually know what I'm doing in this. Otherwise I know I'll just screw it up."

"No, no you won't screw it up; don't say that. I know you won't." He just held on for another moment or so, not sure whether he wanted more to laugh or cry.

"Uhm…Daniel, as nice…as this is…I sort of need…to breathe."

"Oh!" He let go and looked at her again, and he was pretty sure that he was wearing a stupid grin like she had been. He couldn't helped but hold her face in his hands, pushing her bangs away from the mark on her forehead with his thumbs. Vala held onto his wrists, looking back up at him, and he wondered what _she _was thinking.

"Are you all right?" she asked gently.

Daniel realized his eyes were tearing up then, but he didn't care. "I've never been happier. I don't know what I would have done if--" He broke off and took a deep breath. "Don't worry; you won't screw it up. We'll all be here for you, and now you're on God's side," he smiled.


	37. Another

Erm, sorry this chapter is a bit on the short side, but I didn't wanna make ya'll wait any longer. And the end seemed like a good stopping point. ;) I can't wait to hear what you think of it, LOL. You'll see. Please let me know. Thanks:)

I have an idea for another music video for this story--with the song "Voice of truth" by Casting Crowns. If you have any comments on that, feel free to add it to your review. Think it would work well?

Chapter 37

"I love you." The words were out of his mouth before he really knew what he was doing, but oddly, he didn't regret it. No…it wasn't odd. He did love her, and it was time for her to know it for certain.

Vala smiled, her face still between his hands. "I was hoping you'd bring that up. I was worried that what you said five months ago didn't mean what I thought it did."

"What?" he said in confusion.

"You told me not to say that you didn't…But when you never said anything else, I thought maybe you didn't mean like I hoped you did…"

"Did you?"

She looked at him. "Did I what?"

Daniel swallowed. "Did you…mean it like _I_ thought _you_ did?"

"Did _you_?"

His hands drifted away from her face and down to her shoulders, and suddenly he couldn't look her in the face anymore. "I did," he nodded. For a moment there was nothing, but then her felt a finger under his chin picking his head up. Sheepishly he looked at her again.

"Good," she smiled. "Because I did, too."

Daniel smiled again, his head spinning as he wondered how everything could be changing so suddenly. But at the moment, he didn't care. His grin widened in an instant.

Then he kissed her.

Vala was pleasantly surprised when Daniel leaned in and caught her lips with his. She knew she loved him, and now she knew for sure that he loved her, but she hadn't been sure what he was going to do after that.

Her arms went around his neck for a moment, before he pulled back.

Well, _that_ just wouldn't do. She pulled his head down again, and thankfully he didn't resist. When she let go of him again, he laughed.

"Easy, Vala. We'll have eternity, you know."

"Oh I know, but I couldn't pass up the moment," she winked at him. "Now, speaking of eternity and all that jazz, where are the others?" She bounced back a step, almost hopping up and down. "We have to tell them I did it! And I want to see their marks too, and--"

Daniel's hands settled on her shoulder again. "Whoa! Hey, you've got plenty of time to tell them. And I don't think any of them are here right now anyway. They're all at home _sleeping_ like you should be."

"You too," she pointed out.

"Right," he sighed. "Look, I'll make you a deal. You go back to your room and sleep, and I'll stop working and go to mine and sleep."

"But how can you sleep at a time like this!"

He smiled. "I don't think I can, but anything to make sure you get the rest you still need to recover."

"I'm recovered enough," she protested, crossing her arms. "I can sleep any time. I'm too excited right now. Where's a Bible? Or that website that rabbi posts on? Come on, Daniel, I need to _do_ something." The physical tiredness from trekking down to Daniel's office was forgotten as she almost literally buzzed, and Daniel was already looking a bit overwhelmed.

Vala could understand that; she was feeling it some, herself.

Daniel looked at her for a long moment, then shook his head and smiled. "All right; come here." He went back to his computer and sat down, opening the internet browser. He pulled up a website, and then opened another program with it. "Okay, this is Doctor Ben-Judah's website, and this program is the Bible on the computer. That way you can easily look up references in his messages without having to have a book sitting here with you too. Though if you want a real Bible I can give you one of those, too.

She nodded vigorously. "That's good. I'd like to have one to read whenever I can, without a computer…"

"Sure," he smiled. "Now do you want to look at these by yourself for now, or--"

"I want you to stay--please," she told him. "I do want to look at them, but you know me: I probably won't understand much of it without your help."

He nodded. "Some of it can be hard to get, but you just have to keep reading it. Praying for help to know what it means is good too." Then he nodded toward the other furniture in the room. "Pull up a chair, and I'll show you around."

* * *

The next morning, Sam came in for her first real day or work in five months. She looked for Daniel, or Reynolds, or Siler…but realized she must have been the first to get there. It was a little early. She'd been a little concerned about General Landry after he'd acted a little…strange, sort of, when she'd come in the previous afternoon. She wanted to talk to him, but he wasn't here yet, either.

Finally, she checked Daniel's office, hoping he _wasn't_ there…but of course, he was. How many times did they have to tell him to go home and get some _sleep_? Passing out on one's desk was not rest. Maybe he hadn't gotten that memo.

Sam was halfway across the room on the way to wake him up when she glanced around and saw that Vala was there too, at the table in front of Daniel's computer, which had gone into automatic sleep mode. She was out too. A little confused, Sam shook Daniel's shoulder and called to him.

"Daniel…come on, wakey wakey." His shoulder bucked her hand off and he buried his head farther into his arms in his sleep. She smiled in amusement and tried again. "Daniel!"

He jerked, his head popping up and twisting around in surprise. "Wha…?" His eyes settled on her eventually. He squinted, probably not seeing her clear. At least he'd taken his glasses off this time. "Vala?"

"No, me," she smirked, handing his glasses to him.

Daniel slipped them on and blinked once or twice. "Déjà vu."

"What?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "Hey."

"Hi. Why were you asleep on your desk again? And why is Vala in here? Is she doing better?"

He looked over at Vala. "Yeah…you could say that," he smiled.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why don't you go wake her up?" he suggested.

"Okay…" Daniel just smiled and started to clear off of the desk the things he'd been working on, so Sam crossed back to Vala and took his suggestion. It took a couple of tries to get her awake as well, but when she finally groaned and sat up, 'surprised' couldn't even begin to cover the expression Sam was sure was on her face. "Whoa! What…?"

Vala rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, smiling groggily. "Hey Sam."

Sam looked at Daniel, who was grinning now, and put her hands on her hips. She went for stern, but was pretty sure that it came out more in an amused smirk and a partial chuckle. "You knew about this; why didn't you just tell me?"

"It was more fun seeing the expression on your face," he laughed, standing and coming over to the women.

Vala stood as well. "It just happened last night. I wanted to tell you sooner."

Sam smiled and hugged her. "It's okay; this is great, Vala! I'm so glad you're one of us now."

"Thanks, Sam. To tell you the truth, I feel a lot better too, now that I am." She glanced at Daniel when she spoke, and Sam saw the looks they gave each other.

"Is that all that happened last night?" she asked in amusement. Both of them went a little pink, and she knew she'd hit the nail on the head. "Not that it's any of my business…" Neither of them had much of an answer to that, and she had to laugh.

* * *

"_Vala? Really?_"

"Yes, Jack, Vala's a Christian now," Daniel said in response to his friend's incredulous voice.

"_Sweet. 'Knew it had to happen_ some_time_. _I told you not to worry so much_."

He sighed. "Yeah. I know I guess I should have listened more."

"_Darn right you should have_."

"Okay, okay, don't rub it in," he smirked, rolling his eyes.

"_Sorry_," Jack laughed. "_And hey, I'd love to talk longer, but thanks to old Nick I've got somewhere to be, so…_"

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later."

"_Yep. Later_."

The connection broke, and Daniel put the phone back in its cradle on his desk and turned back to his computer, wishing that there were more time for communication with friends not near. He had only read half of Doctor Ben-Judah's message for that day before Vala bounded back in, nose buried in another copy of the Bible he'd found in his office after Sam had left for her lab.

"Daniel, can you help me out for a minute?"

He looked away from the computer screen and saw that she was reading in Revelation. He raised an eyebrow. "Did you _have_ to start in the most complicated book?  
"Well, it _is _the most relevant," she pointed out, sitting on the edge of the desk near him.

"True. What kind of help do you need?"

She handed him the Bible, pointing to a verse. "I was just curious about something--this thing about the two hundred million horsemen. I believe that's supposed to be the next of the 'judegements' as they're called. Just what does that mean, anyway? Literal horses and men that look like that, or is it just a metaphor for the sulfur and smoke and people dying and such?"

Daniel glanced at the passage he already knew well--Revelation 9: 13-21--which described the sixth trumpet judgment of the Tribulation. "We don't know," he told her.

"You don't know? But you've known about everything else."

He nodded slowly. "Yes, but in case you didn't notice, the others were much more clearcut. Not that this one isn't. It talks about two hundred million mounted horsemen, and it probably will be exactly that. But throw in the fire, smoke, and sulfur that kills people…and it gets a little fuzzy as to whether they'll be literal. To me, anyway. But however it goes down, one third of the remaining population will die."

Vala shivered. "Do you think any Christians will die?"

Daniel had to shrug. "Doctor Ben-Judah seems to believe that we'll be protected from that judgment, but again: we won't know for sure until it happens." That didn't seem to help much, so he quickly continued. "None of us will die before the end of the Tribulation unless it's part of God's plan, Vala. He's in control. No judgment, or GC personal, or offworld enemy can decide when we die. Only He can."

She sighed. "Well, I suppose that does help a little…But I know I wouldn't want to have to go through the rest of this by myself if you were killed…" She trailed off and looked down then.

"You wouldn't be alone," he reminded her gently. It pained him too to think of that happening--or happening the other way around--but she had to know the truths of the faith she was struggling to make her own.

"No…but I would miss you too much."

Daniel looked at her for a moment and then stood in front of her. She was still staring at her lap. He took her hands gently. "I would miss you too," he told her. "But it'll be all right. Why don't we change the subject for now?" She nodded and looked up at him again. He smiled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

And this was where things got a little uncomfortable again. "I was thinking…that maybe if you wanted to…we could have dinner at my house…"

"Tonight?"

"Uhm…sometime next week," he finished, wincing a bit in apology.

She pouted a little. "Why wait so long?"

"Hey, you've got to give me some time to adjust," he smiled. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't go into things as quickly as you do--not comfortably, anyway."

Vala sighed dramatically and pulled her hands from his and draped them around his neck. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't want to make you too uncomfortable. Don't worry, darling; it's all right. Just remember that we've only got so much time."

"Don't worry, I know," he nodded. Then he kissed her forehead. "Now go on. If that's all you needed, I need to get some more work done. There are a couple of translations I'd like to finish before SG-1 gets sent out again in the next week or so."

"All right," she agreed, slipping off of his desk a bit reluctantly and heading out. "I'll be in my room if you need me."

Daniel raised an eyebrow at her, and she gave another exaggerated sigh from the doorway. "Yes, yes, I know: I've got to be a good girl now. I want to, you know, but people don't change overnight. I've only been a Christian for about eighteen hours. I'm working on it."

"And you're doing fine," he chuckled. "Just _keep_ working on it."

"Yes, _sir_." She gave him a mock salute and bounced out again with more energy than she'd had since before the rapture.

Daniel shook his head and turned back to his work.

* * *

The next week rushed by a lot faster than Daniel thought it would. Finally, he asked Vala to come over the night before SG-1 was to go out again for the first time since the attack of the locusts. It made sense to him, to do it then--it made more certain that it wouldn't go too late, since they would need sleep. Not that he was concerned anymore that she would try to pull anything, but still…it was better not to put themselves in any situation where they were alone together late at night.

He'd asked her, and since she didn't mind, he'd ordered food instead of cooking. As nervous as he had to admit he was, he didn't trust his cooking skills, even if they weren't bad on a normal day. Why was he feeling like this anyway? Typically he'd been more annoyed around Vala than anything, and even after he'd admitted his feelings to himself, he had never thought about much more around her than his hope that she would be saved before it was too late.

Now, he didn't have that to worry about, and both of them knew the truth about the other. So then again, he didn't really have to wonder why he was a little nervous.

At one minute after five, the doorbell rang. He hesitated only a moment before answering it.

It was immediately obvious that Vala had either borrowed something from Sam or gone shopping with her, because he had never seen the summer dress she was wearing, though the style was familiar, and it definitely wasn't typical Vala. But she looked good in it. Daniel mentally shook himself, smiled and focused on her face.

"Hey. I didn't say you had to dress up, you know," he told her, quirking a smile.

She shrugged. "I know, but I felt like it. Besides, you did too."

He glanced down at himself. He was wearing jeans, but they were the nicest pair he had, and he had on a jacket over his shirt. "Well…"

"Am I going to have to stand out here all evening, darling?"

"No, no…" He smiled sheepishly and let her in.

Vala smiled and stepped inside, glancing around while he shut the door. "You know, I think the last time I was actually here was just before that war started…over a year ago I think…"

"Has it really been that long?" he said, hands pushing into his pockets.

"Believe it or not."

Daniel led her into what he had of dining room, off of the kitchen, where the table was set.

"You don't do too badly on your own," Vala commented coyly of the setup.

"I try," he smirked good-naturedly. He had just pushed her chair in for her when the doorbell rang again. "Now who..? No, just stay here; I'll see what it is," he said when vala acted like she was going to stand again.

"All right," she agreed reluctantly. "Don't take too long."

He smiled and started back for the living room and the front door, where the doorbell was echoing again, over and over. "I'll tell them to go away; whoever it is…Okay, I'm coming!" By the time he got to the door, there was urgent knocking instead. When he finally swung the door open, a little aggravated, he found himself almost bowled over by a tall, thin shape topped with red.

"Daniel! Oh, thank goodness you still live here; I was worried I wasn't going to find you!"

He fell back a step in surprise, extracting himself from the arms of--

Daniel's mouth dropped open when he saw who was standing in front of him, and with a mark on her forehead no less.

"_Sarah_?"


	38. Girl Trouble

Whee! Sorry this took an extra day more than usual, bu I hope it's worth it. I'm really excited about this chapter! Please let m know what ya think once you're done; I can't wait to know:) Thanks to all of you. Enjoy!

Chapter 38

Vala was perfectly content to sit and wait for Daniel to run off whoever it was, but when an exited female voice and Daniel's shocked one filtered into the dining room, she was curious. Frowning, she uncertainly went out into the living room.

There, Daniel was holding out at arm's length a tall, slender--and Christian, she noted from the mark on her forehead--woman with a thick mop of strawberry blonde/reddish hair on her head and a grin on her face. "What are you doing here?" Daniel was asking incredulously.

"It's kind of a long story, actually, but I'd be glad to--oh." It was then that the other woman looked up and apparently noticed Vala. "I'm so sorry; I didn't know you had company."

Daniel glanced back long enough to see Vala and smiled. "What? Did you think I was dressed like this for my health?"

The woman looked him up and down and laughed. "Oh, I didn't even notice. I was too excited to see you--and that you were also a believer."

Vala raised an eyebrow. "Uhm….Daniel?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. Ah, Sarah, this is Vala MalDoran, and Vala, this is…Sarah Gardener. You've probably heard us mention her…"

She looked at Sarah. "That old girlfriend of yours who was host to Osiris?"

Daniel looked a little uncomfortable at her saying it so bluntly, and Sarah laughed nervously, but both nodded. "Basically...yeah."

"Right…" Sarah agreed. Then she squinted in curiosity. "You know about all of that?"

Not sure what to make of all of this, Vala just shrugged. "I was a host myself for a while, actually. I'm not from around here."

The other woman blinked. "You mean…?"

"She's ah, from another planet," Daniel confirmed. "She's been a part of the SGC for a while now. But…what brings you here now?"

Sarah sighed. "Yes, I did kind of run off on you after Osiris was gone, didn't I?" she said, shivering just a bit. "I'm sorry. I suppose that I just couldn't take being there, and with you and the rest of your friends--SG-1. It reminded me too much of what had happened the past three years. I just needed to get away."

Daniel nodded slowly in understanding. "Well you don't have to tell all of it standing right there. We were just about to eat; would you care to join us?"

Sarah glanced over at Vala, who wasn't fond of the idea herself, but then again, there was no reason to dislike the woman…_Be good, Vala_, she reminded herself. She your sister in Christ, and you shouldn't be jealous just because she showed up at the front door.

"Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt anything anymore than I already have…I've got a hotel; we could catch up anytime…"

Daniel looked at Vala with a brief silent apology and continued. "Are you kidding? I haven't seen you in a long time. I can't kick you out when you've just gotten here; come on."

Sarah still looked uncertain. "Only if you're sure…"

Finally Vala spoke up. "It's all right. Come with me and I'll show you where to sit while Daniel gets the food."

Daniel smiled in relieved thanks, and went into the kitchen while Vala led Sarah into the dining room and sat her down. There wasn't another place setting, so she excused herself to go get another one. In the kitchen, Daniel was pulling out more food to supplement what he had bought to be sure there was enough, and Vala came up from behind and wrapped her arms around one of his before it could grab something else out of the cabinet.

"Daniel…" she whined.

He straightened and hugged her. "Hey, I'll make this up to you as soon as I can, okay? I promise." He seemed a little distracted, which wasn't out of place, but she knew he meant it. She sighed.

"Promise?"

"Of course I do. But I wasn't kidding when I said there was no way I could just make her leave now. I haven't seen her in six years."

"All right…" she agreed reluctantly. "Just remember you promised."

"I will, I will…"

"Good. Now where are the plates and silverware? She needs one."

"What? Oh! Right." Shaking his head at himself, he went to a cupboard, took out a plate and handed it to her, and opened the drawer with the silverware. "Here."

Vala took the plate, picked out one each of the needed utensils, and headed back for the dining room, shaking her own head to herself.

As the three of them ate and finished eating, Sarah told them how she had come to be there. "Well, I told you I left after the Tok'ra freed me from Osiris. I went to stay with what was left of my family. The few of us left after the rapture heard the truth, and they believed it but I didn't. After everything it just didn't come that easy. But then the judegements started to happen, and I lost them and…well, finally I accepted the truth," she finished quietly.

Daniel put a gentle hand on her arm. "I'm sorry…"

She gave them a small smile. "Thank you. I've been all right though. There's the church there, and they've helped me. I've got quite a few good friends."

"Can't do without those," he smiled.

She nodded and continued. "Right. And…well, anyway, I couldn't think of anyone that I wanted to see more than you after I became a Christian. I wanted to find you as quickly as I could and make sure you knew the truth too. I had finally worked up the courage to come back here when the locusts attacked--and then I couldn't travel far without looking suspicious, so…I just decided to wait until they were gone."

"And then you flew out here," Vala finished.

"Yes. I'm glad I did find you here, Daniel. I didn't really know what else I was going to do besides show up on your doorstep. And now that I've found you, and I know that you're a believer too, I don't really know what I'm here for. I didn't schedule a flight out yet either because I didn't know when I would leave. I'm sorry this is all so ambiguous, but even though I had to sit around and wait for five months to come, I never really thought it through much more. I didn't know what I'd find."

"So how long 'can' you stay?" Daniel asked curiously.

Sarah shrugged. "I suppose as long as I have money for a hotel--not long, unfortunately." she chuckled.

"Well…since you know everything, I don't think General Landry would have a problem with you staying at the SGC for a little while. That's where all of us usually are, anyway," Daniel offered.

Trying to keep things from being any more uncomfortable than they already were--if anyone else besides her even noticed--she added, "That's where I live. It's not so bad."

Sarah looked at her, then back at Daniel. "Landry?"

"Oh, uhm, General Hammond retired a few years ago. We haven't heard from him in a while, actually…"

"Oh, I didn't know. I didn't really know him anyway. I was just curious."

"You know, I don't think I've ever met him either, Daniel," Vala pointed out.

Daniel shook his head. "We've been trying to track him down for a while. He wasn't on any confirmed dead or missing lists for any of the things for any of the things that've happened, so he must be somewhere…" He looked a little concern when he spoke of the man that only he knew out of the three of them, and Vala patted his arm.

"It'll be all right."

"I certainly hope so," Sarah nodded. "I only saw him once or twice before I left, but he seemed nice enough. But…" She trailed off and looked at Daniel. "About the SGC, I suppose that would be all right, as long as the new general doesn't mind. I'll either go back or find somewhere else to stay whenever I can."

"Don't worry about it," Daniel told her.

"If you're sure…"

"I'll call General Landry as soon as we're finished eating."

Vala wasn't sure whether she was relieved that this Sarah Gardener would be staying away from Daniel at the base, or annoyed that she was staying for a while in the first place.

* * *

Within the night, Sarah was set up in one of the few remaining spare rooms at the SGC, she had dropped into bed from jet lag, and Daniel had decided to just sleep in his room there that night because he was there and had to be back in the morning to go out anyway.

The next morning, Daniel ran across Sam in the commissary at breakfast--though it was more like brunch. Daniel had slept a little late from being up making sure Sarah was situated, and Sam had just come in.

"You didn't eat at home?" he asked, sitting across from her.

Sam smiled and shook her head. "Nah. Simon was still sleeping; he was up late last night studying. I just woke him up long enough o let him know I was going."

She was surprised to hear about Sarah, but happy that the woman was a Christian like them. "The meetings have to be split up and smaller now, to be careful, but we're having one tonight. Maybe you should come and bring her so she can meet some of the other believers here."

Daniel shrugged. "If she wants to, maybe."

Sam nodded. "Great. About that though…" She trailed off and glanced around.

"What?"

"I'll talk to you when we finish eating."

He looked at her curiously, but relented and finished up, and then she followed him out toward his office. She made him stop and grab Carolyn, Reynolds, Siler, and Vala on the way.

"What's going on, Sam?" Carolyn asked once they were safely sequestered in the office.

Sam crossed her arms and leaned on the edge of a table. "This is the first time SG-1's gone out in a while, so we'll be stopping by the Tok'ra planet. I wanted to confirm whether we should arrange a time for them to come pick up a first shipment of things to go out. How are you all coming on what you were stocking up on? Is it all pulled together?"

"Well, we had five months, so I've been able to stock up on plenty of extra medical supplies to send ahead," she confirmed.

"And though I hope we don't need them, I've been able to get a hold on enough weapons--not a lot, but it'll do us. We'll keep a few in case we need them getting out, but the rest I've got boxed up and ready to transport to the rendezvous spot," Reynolds said.

Siler nodded. "I've got repair supplies and just about anything mechanical we might need on another planet. I know we'll have Tok'ra power sources in the tunnels, but it doesn't hurt to have back-ups. And you have naquidah generators as well, right?" he asked Sam.

She shook her head. "Those are harder to get. If we're bringing any with us, it won't be until we leave."

Vala smiled apologetically. "I'll help any way I can, but I just joined up, so I don't have anything to add that way."

Daniel gave a reassuring pat on the back and continued. "And Sam and I have been stocking up food and other supplies," he added finally. "A lot of them are ready to go too. Just an Al'kesh or a couple of cargo ships could probably carry everything put together, so the Tok'ra won't need to take up a lot of resources for a few days just to transport it all there. I think they said they were going to start on the tunnels while we were gone. They had a planet picked out."

"Great," Sam said. "So we're good there. I have another idea though." There was a round of curious questions before she continued. "No, it doesn't exactly have much to do with that. What I've been thinking about, is shelter. We need one."

Daniel was nodding thoughtfully. "I was thinking about that. Anything could happen before we leave. We've still got several months."

"Especially you, Sam, with that extra study group of believers out around your house…you or any of us could somehow become a fugitive before we can all get out," Carolyn said.

"You would need somewhere to go," Reynolds agreed.

"Exactly," Sam said.

Daniel frowned. "But what kind of shelter are we talking about? And where?"

"It definitely can't be on the base," Siler pointed out. "There _are_ places to hide, and with my job I know where most of them are--but if any of disappeared when we were wanted, a thorough search of the SGC would probably be one of the first things ordered."

"Yes, I know, but most of us have basements."

"That's one of the other first places they would look," Reynolds said, not sounding very confident in her idea anymore.

"I know that too; but just stay with me here. Yes, maybe they would, but would they really _expect_ us to be in our own houses if we were on the run? Not really. So they wouldn't look too hard. Especially if at first and even second or third glance they appeared to be totally empty. And I'm not talking about hiding in a house or basement anyway. I'm talking about hiding under or beside a basement."

"You mean dig?" Siler asked with understanding.

Sam smiled mischievously. "Sort of. But you forget we have friends in far places. If we borrow a couple of crystals from the Tok'ra, we don't have to dig at all. We can easily make a small tunnel out from the wall of a cellar just long enough to be a room two or three of us can hide out in if we need to. And if by some chance they have enough left we could even make a narrow tunnel all the way to the rendezvous site out in the clearing in the woods we picked, but that's not a priority."

Vala grinned. "You really have thought this out haven't you?"

"Well, I've still got to work on how we're going to conceal the opening and exactly where it'll be, but sort of yeah."

"How about my house? I do have a cellar, so a couple of the walls are still packed dirt, and it has access from both the inside of the house and the outside, so its convenient. There's a lot of stuff down there we could hide an opening with, too," Daniel offered.

Reynolds shook his head. "As large as those Tok'ra tunnel openings can be, you'll have to do a lot more than push stuff in from of it--especially if its on a wall, and not a floor."

"I was thinking about getting one of the smaller holographic projectors to project from the inside a rock or dirt wall like what was there before, and then pushing shelves in front of it or something so no one would be likely to touch it and find out it isn't there. It should work if I can make the hologram look realistic enough," Sam told them.

"I thought you said you still had to work on how we were going to hide it," Carolyn said, quirking a smile. "Sounds pretty planned to me."

"I have to work on tweaking to generator."

Daniel shook his head. "Well it sounds like it'll work, so go with that. And we'll have to talk to the Tok'ra today."

"And what about Sarah?" Sam asked.

"What about Sarah?"

"Yes, what about Sarah?" Vala questioned. Daniel gave her a look before focusing on Sam again.

"I mean, should we tell her any of this? She knows about the stargate and everything else, so she could come with us if she wanted to stay here until then."

Daniel frowned a little. "That's true. We could. But maybe we'd better wait a little while. I'm still not really sure what she wants here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked, eyebrows raised.

"I don't know…Nevermind. Just not right now."

"Okay."

* * *

Sarah was up by the time SG-1 left, and she saw them off smilingly in the 'gate room, giving him another hug that didn't seem to make Vala very happy. Daniel was telling the truth when he said he didn't really know what she was doing here anymore than she claimed to.

Once SG-1 had seen to their assignment of surveying a new planet and taking soil samples to be examined for naquidah and such, they were able to visit the Tok'ra and other friends for the first time in months. Skaara was glad to see him, and Daniel told his ex brother-in-law what was going on. It was easier to tell him than anyone back on Earth, closer to it. When he was done, Skaara smiled knowingly.

"Ah. So you are having 'girl problems', as you would say."

Daniel couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well I don't think its really a 'problem', so I wouldn't put it quite that bluntly, but I guess you could say that if you wanted to."

"It is close enough."

"Sure."

Skaara gave him a hearty pat on the back. "Do not worry, Danyer. When you need to know who is the right one, you will know." Daniel started to open his mouth to tell him that it wasn't like that, but then shut it again. Maybe it was. "And speaking of the right one, Ashada was out speaking to a friend, but she should return soon," he grinned.

"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. "Is there a reason you seem so excited about that."

"You will know soon enough," his brother answered, a sparkle in his eyes.

As it was, at that moment Daniel heard slightly shuffling feet out in the main corridor, and turned to see Ashada come around the corner and into the living space of her and her husband--with a large round belly.

His mouth dropped open, and he managed to jump up and escort the woman to another chair, but he was all too aware that he was sputtering a bit, Ashada was grinning, and Skaara was laughing so hard he looked like he would fall out of his seat.

"Oh, Danyer, the look on your face!" he cackled after a moment. "I am sorry…"

Daniel smiled and shook his head. "No, no it's great! Hey, surprises are fun. I just wasn't expecting that one." Incredulously he looked back and forth between the couple. "Parents, huh?"

"By birth date we are both fifteen years younger than you, and right now physically, almost twenty because of our years ascended. Yet we have 'beat you to the punch', I believe is an expression you would use," Skaara grinned.

Daniel shook his head. "So you did. I'm happy for both of you. Just promise me one thing."

Ashada looked at him, still smiling widely.

"I know you've told me a few times that if it happened you would, but if it's a boy, _don't_ name it after me."

"Does that mean that if it is a girl we can use the female version of that name from your planet?" Skaara asked mischievously.

"Skaara!"

He and his wife just laughed.

* * *

"--And then this Sarah person shows up out of nowhere, practically jumps all over him and our date turns into catch-up with the old college girlfriend!" Vala finished in frustration. She dropped onto the edge of the bed and sat, arms and legs crossed. "It's not that I don't like her or anything…I mean, I shouldn't. She's nice, and she's sincere enough, and she's a Christian too. I'm supposed to love her like I'm supposed to love everyone else and everything, but it's just…Well, it's annoying." She glanced over at the woman she was talking to. "You know, I'm not even sure why I'm telling _you_ all of this. I guess it's because I know he trusts you, and I needed to talk to _someone_…"

Morgan LaFaye smiled gently and sat down beside her. "I suppose that is good enough reason. Now, about this Sarah…you feel threatened by her?"

"If you want to put it that way, yeah sure."

"For what reason?"

"She's an old girlfriend of Daniel's! He obviously loved her at one point. There's no reason to think he couldn't again."

Morgan's eyebrow went up. "You told me that he confessed to being in love with _you_," she pointed out.

"Yes, but--"

"Would he lie?"

"No…but he could change his mind."

"Why would he do such a thing?"

Vala shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know…but--"

"Ah ah. Not 'buts' Is there always a 'but'? Leave those out. If you do, you will see that you have no reason to worry."

Vala looked at her for a moment, and then stared at her hands in her lap. "Are you sure?"

Morgan put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I have seen him speak of you, Vala; he was in such distress when you were still not a believer. I am glad now that you are, but you have much to learn. He loves you dearly. He may care for this other woman, but she is not on his mind as you are. You should not be jealous of her, and you should not be angry with Daniel for giving her attention. You tell me he has not seen her in quite a while; that is normal."

She sighed. "I guess you're right…" She looked up again and smiled a bit. "I'm not sure I'll stop worrying immediately, but you have helped some."

"That is what I am here for," Morgan laughed. "You are welcome."

A moment later there was a knock on the doorframe, and Daniel poked his head in. "Oh, hey Vala. Whatcha doing in here?"

"Just getting acquainted with your friend here," she smiled, standing. "If you want to talk to her, I'll go," she said, standing.

He took a step in and shook his head. "Wish I could, but we should be getting back. The whole not raising suspicion thing…"

Morgan stood too. "It is all right. We will have plenty of time for talking once you no longer live on Earth and things are not as…complicated."

"Yeah, no kidding. It's good to see you. I'm sorry I can't stay," Daniel sighed. "Come on Vala, we should find Sam and Reynolds."

"Right," she nodded, popping over to the door. "See you later, Morgan," she waved. Daniel gave a small wave as well, and they headed for the council room, where Sam had gone with Reynolds to discuss the matter of getting their supplies from Earth and shipping them to the planet the Tok'ra had found for them to inhabit after their flight from Earth.

They bumped into Reynolds halfway there. "I was coming to look for you two; we're ready to go."

"Great," Daniel said. "Let's grab Sam and get back."

"So how'd it go?" Vala asked once they'd met up with her and were heading for the rings.

"It went great, actually," Sam grinned. "In exactly two weeks they'll land an Alkesh at the rendezvous site, and we can load up the supplies for them to take back to the planet they picked out for us--which we won't know the address of until then, for safety."

"And what about the tunnel crystals?" Daniel asked as they stepped into the rings. Sam stopped and let the transporter bring them to the surface before answering. She talked as they walked to the 'gate. "They'd used a lot of what they had left to build the shelter for our people, but they gave me a couple of good ones for the shelter under your house, and all the damaged ones they still had that were cracked or broken off during the earthquake. They never throw anything away."

"Okay…it's good that we have good ones for the shelter, but what are the damaged ones for?"

"That's the cool part," she said, opening a pouch she was carrying. Vala glanced in and saw the pile of damaged but otherwise intact crystals. "They'll still work like this, since they're not shatter, but the tunnels they make will just be shorter and more narrow. Also in some cases maybe not as safe…but we only need them to stay intact for a few months, and we're not expecting any earthquakes before we go."

"So what are we going to use them for? That escape tunnel you were talking about?" Vala asked.

Sam closed the pouch as Reynolds dialed the DHD. Apparently he'd already heard this when they'd gotten the crystals. "I don't think they'll go ten miles, from daniel's house to the clearing, but they'll definitely go three or four. We will grow a short escape tunnel from the shelter and come out in the foliage at the end of his street or somewhere similar, but most of them we should probably use to make a tunnel to the site where they'll land when they come to take us out--which will be different from the one they'll use in two weeks."

"But if it doesn't start from the shelter, what's the point?"

Daniel seemed to be getting the idea, even though she didn't. "In case anyone is seen going there. They'll see everyone go to where that tunnel opening is, but even if they actually see that we're going into a tunnel, they won't know where it comes out just from that. If we always use the tunnel when going to that site, it'll be harder for anyone to figure out where it is. And even if we can't get _into_ the tunnel until we're already in the woods or elsewhere, it'll still help when we're getting out if we're leaving hot."

"Just what I was thinking," Sam smiled. The 'gate had opened a minute or so ago, and Reynolds was waiting by the event horizon.

"Any day now, people," he smirked.

* * *

"So what did you do out there?" Sarah asked curiously, back at the SGC. She was sitting on a bench, winging her legs a bit as SG-1 stripped off their gear from the trip through the 'gate.

"Not much," Daniel said vaguely, hanging up his jacket and grabbing a green fatigue shirt instead.

"We took soil samples to test for naquidah. It's all Carpathia really wants out of the Stargate program anymore," Sam added, rolling her eyes.

Sarah shook her head. "Well, I don't suppose I should have expected anything else. He's a tricky one--not that I've ever met him before."

"Hope you don't," Sam shivered.

"I got that impression."

Daniel looked at her. "What about you, Sarah? Do anything while we were out?"

She smiled. "Nope; just waited around for you to get back." The 'you' was implied to mean all of them, but then again, maybe it didn't. Daniel saw Vala shoot the other woman a look when she wasn't paying attention, and had to resist frowning. This was going to be interesting.

Sarah stayed around for a couple of weeks. He noticed she particularly stuck near him as much as she could, though she did her best to be friend the others as well. There wasn't anything insincere about any of it; she really did seem to not really know where she was going from here. He just didn't know what to make of it.

It was good to have her around, but Daniel could tell that even though she did try hard to be good about it all, Vala wasn't very happy about it. He supposed it was inevitable. Finally, he decided to stop attempting to wait until Sarah had gone back to her friends, and invited Vala over to dinner again. This time Sarah knew about it, so hopefully they wouldn't be interrupted.

They weren't a, and they had pleasant enough evening, but there was still the underlying sense of discomfort centered around the fact that Sarah was just a few miles away at the SGC. Did Vala really feel a threat from her? While she was there he told her clearly that Sarah was only a good friend now and that he was only happy to spend some time with her after not seeing her for so long, and she told him she believed him.

But still the rift, however small in was, stayed as long as Sarah was there.

Daniel eventually told Sarah about the plans to leave Earth as a group when the mid-point of the Tribulation came, and told her that she was welcome to come with them. She said she'd think about it.

Sam, Daniel, and Vala went out to grow the tunnel to the rendezvous site they would use later, and made sure everything was ready to be brought to the first one. When the day arrived, they all hauled everything out to the first site. Sarah came as well, and it seemed she was excited about being near a spaceship for the first time while in control of her own body. Once Anise had landed the Al'kesh, and Freya was overseeing the loading, Sarah was walking around and around it, and back and forth through the inside, gawking just a little. It was almost comical.

Not wanting to draw too much attention, Anise/Freya pulled her small crew back inside and lifted off as soon as everything was loaded and goodbyes were said. Sarah stood and watched the shimmering effect of the cloak until it couldn't be picked out of the sky anymore, occasionally glancing over at him, where he was standing with an arm around Vala.

Daniel didn't think anything of it until she came to him the next day.

He was in his office, finishing up reports on SG-1's latest 'gate trip of a few days before. He didn't even notice she was there until she said his name, and he looked up in surprise to see her standing right next to him.

"Hi Daniel," she smiled weakly.

Daniel turned in his chair to face her. "Hey…is something wrong?"

She shrugged and clasped her hands in front of her. "Not really. I just wanted you to know that I'm probably going to book a flight out for in a few days."

He stood, setting down the papers in his hands. "Are you sure? You're welcome to stay longer…"

"It's all right. I've had a good time here, but I should get back to my friends. I know you told me I could come with you all when you leave…but I'd rather stick it out with my church here. We look after each other like you do, you know?"

"Right," Daniel nodded, crossing his arms. He looked at her for a moment, and she looked away. "Are you sure that's all?" he asked gently.

She paused and shook her head after a moment, taking a deep and looking at him.

"Then what is it?"

She smiled and sat on the edge of the desk facing him. "I'm not really sure. I don't know why I hoped, but part of me wondered if there could be something between us again. Part of me still loves you. No--you don't have to say anything. I know you care about Vala. You love her, and I understand. There aren't any hard feelings like there might have been before the rapture--before all of this. I'm a little disappointed, maybe, but I'll be fine. This just means that I don't have a reason to stay much longer."

Realizing finally what had been going on since she'd arrive, Daniel sighed and sat on the desk next to her. "So that's what it was about…other than just finding me and finding out if I was a believer."

"Pretty much," Sarah chuckled.

Daniel smiled and put an arm around her. "Well hey, if it makes you feel any better, I do still love you--like a sister."

She smiled and hugged him tight. "So…as a sibling, do you need any help with anything? Say, a certain woman…?"

* * *

Daniel wasn't in any of the other usual places, so he had to be in his office. Vala went hunting there, but just around the corner from the office, she passed Sarah leaving. The other women either didn't notice her or didn't acknowledge her, because she hurried on without stopping. And was that a…a giggle?

Scowling, Vala stomped into Daniel's office to find him hunched over his desk. She stood just inside the doorway with her hand on her hips. "What was that?"

"What was what?" he asked without looking up.

"That--Sarah leaving. What was going on?"

"Nothing was going on. We were talking."

"Oh sure. And I'm a jaffa's uncle. You know, I really wish you would just make up your mind. I'm getting tired of worrying about whether I'm losing you or not." And where had that come from? She was supposed to be getting over this irrational fear…not blurting it at him! Well, no going back now…

Daniel looked up in surprise. "What?"

"That's right. You spend time with her, and sure you invite me to dinner one, and for once we're not interrupted, and you tell me she's just a friend, but people don't change overnight, Daniel. I can't just believe it without proof that you only love _me_. I still worry.

He stood. "Vala…"

"I can't trust that quickly just on words! Experience before I even met you taught me better." Now he was coming toward her, but she was on a roll. She couldn't just stop.

"Vala."

"And you _know_ that! So why are you doing this to me!"

"Vala!" He stopped right in front of her.

She glared a little. "What?"

He smiled at her. "Sarah's leaving."

She blinked. "She is? But…why?"

Daniel answered with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Because I told her I was getting married."

"W-What? You are?"

He shrugged and went back to his desk, turning to straighten the papers on it. "Well, I hope so anyway. I haven't actually asked the girl yet, but I hope she says yes. Sarah seems to think so. She was giving me a few pointers for proposing; that's all."

Vala resisted the urge to grin and took a casual step forward. "Ah, I see…so is this girl anyone I know?"

"I'm not quite sure…but you probably do, yeah."

She took a second step closer. "Is this girl perhaps, about my age?"

He still didn't turn as he filed things away, but he did answer, "I would say so."

She took another step, playing the game. "Is she tall with long black hair, too?"

"_And_ she's a great kisser," he answered, glancing over his shoulder over at her finally, with a quirk of a smile.

Vala _couldn't_ hold it in any longer. She grinned and ran to him as he turned, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him hard. Daniel returned it just as enthusiastically, holding her tight, picking her feet up off the ground and spinning her around.

"So what do you think she'll answer when I ask her?" he asked smilingly, once her feet were on the ground again and she'd released his lips.

Heart swelling, Vala beamed back at him. "I think she'll say yes. And what took you so long, you dummy?"

Daniel laughed and kissed her again.


	39. Weddings and Crashers

Hey ya'll! Sorry this took so long, but I had a lot of ideas to sort through, and this week was crazy with projects to finish for school and...well, I'll stop complaining. :P Here's the new chapter, extra long-ish for ya, and I hope you enjoy it:) Please let me know. I can't wait to hear from ya! Thanks!

Chapter 39

Sara gave a final pat to the bedspread she had just put in place on the bed. "Really? They're getting married?"

Jack chuckled. "That's what Daniel said. On the phone he sounded so excited he almost dropped the phone, I think."

"He went from worrying about the situation between Vala and that other girl--"

"Sarah."

"What?"

He leaned against the doorframe into the bedroom. "No, that's her name. But it's got an 'h', and yours doesn't. Not to mention that she's about fifteen years younger than us and has a whole lot of hair."

"Thank you for that explanation," she smirked, coming over to him. "But as I was _saying_…Daniel went from worrying about those two to not having to worry at all and asking advice from the other one on how to propose to Vala?"

Jack shrugged. "Well, it sounded more like Sarah offered it freely, but basically, yeah. Don't ask me how; I don't know either. But they're all getting along now, so that's good. I'm glad things are working out."

"I always wondered if there was something between those two."

"Wonder no longer. Sarah has to leave later this week, apparently--she wants to get back to her church--but she'll be back for the wedding whenever it is." He smiled. "I made sure to tell Daniel to plan ahead enough that we could be there too."

"Good," Sara nodded in approval.

"Ya think? I've been waiting for Daniel to get hitched again for ten years."

Sara laughed. "He's that stubborn, is he?"

Jack smirked. "And we were much better?"

"Good point."

* * *

"Goodbye! Make sure you let me know when you have a date!" Sarah called again, before disappearing through the gate at the airport. Daniel and Vala lowered their waving arms and started back through the terminal. 

"Speaking of dates; when are we going to figure that out?" Vala questioned, leaning into him.

Daniel smiled at her and put an arm around her shoulders. "We'll get it done."

"Yes, but when?"

"Soon."

Vala pouted and looked up at him. "Oh come on, Daniel. You've been stonewalling me all week. It's almost as if you don't want to marry me."

He sighed and stopped, turning to face her. "Of _course_ I want to marry you, Vala. Don't doubt that. I've just been thinking about some things."

"Like what?"

"Do we have to talk about it now?"

Her hands went to her hips and her eyebrows cocked in that way she had, and he knew he wasn't getting out of it. "All right…come on. We can't talk about it in here."

"Why not?"

"Someone might overhear."

"So?" Daniel looked at her strangely, and she backed off. "Oh. Well, let's get back to the car then." Taking his hand, she pulled him out of the building and out into the parking lot at a brisk walk. Once they were in his car and the doors were shut, she looked at him expectantly.

He took a deep breath. "Listen, I want this to happen as much as you do, but I've been thinking that maybe…Well, maybe it would be better if we waited until we were moved offworld."

"What--??"

"Now, don't jump to conclusions. Just think about it for a minute."

She rolled her eye, paused for a minute and appeared to be thinking, and then looked at him again. "_What_?"

"Okay, so this isn't going to be easy….Vala, we've got several months before we leave, and anything could happen between now and then. The getting out in and of itself could be dangerous if something went wrong. We could be fugitives by then. One of us could be captured, or--you know…" he winced.

Vala grimaced with him. "And your point is?"

"My point is that if…if anything happens to me I don't want you to feel like you can't…well, see other people or something, or…I don't know. I just don't want you to be hurt so much. I thought maybe that if we weren't married then…."

"Who else would I want to see, Daniel?

"Well no one right now I hope," he smiled.

She gave him a playful shove. "Daniel, we've got so little time left, that I wouldn't have _time_ to be very interested in anyone else, much less marry them. I want to marry _you_, you big dope."

"But--"

"But but but. But what if something happens to you. You think that not having been married before that will make it hurt less? It won't. I still won't want anyone else, and it won't matter that I never married you. In fact, I'll wish I had."

"Vala, I'm only thinking about you--"

She pointed a finger into the middle of his chest. "Then listen to me. If you _must_ know, I'd rather marry you know and lose you later than have you until this is all over and never marry you. Not that I think or hope something will happen to you once we're married--but just so you know how I feel."

Daniel looked at her for a long moment, not having to wonder why he loved her. "You mean that?"

"Completely."

"But what if something happens to _you_?"

Vala looked at him then. "Well, I guess you'll have to answer the same question. Do you feel the way I do, or the way you were thinking I might? Were you suggesting that because you feel that way? Or only because you thought I would?"

He smiled after a moment. "Like I said; you were my primary concern. If I had my way, I would marry you now--no matter what happens."

She nodded approvingly and grinned. "Then we're agreed."

"I guess we are." At that from him, Vala leaned forward and planted her lips on his. Daniel hadn't quite seen it coming, but he didn't mind. He broke off after a moment then. "So next month all right then?"

"As soon as we can get everyone back here," she agreed, and then went back to kissing him. Daniel let her for another moment, and then tried to sit back again.

"We should stop," he said when he could.

"Why?"

Daniel had to put both hands on either side of her face to keep her from continuing, and looked her in the eye. "I know this doesn't seem like much, but it can lead other things, you know."

"And?"

He eyed her, and she relented. "All right, all right. I know. If anyone does, I do. I'm working on being better, Daniel, I really am. But the mindset is still there, you know."

"I know. And as I've told you again and again, you're doing _fine._" Then he smiled. "Besides, as long as it doesn't get out of hand, there's nothing wrong with a few extra kisses here and there."

Vala raised both eyebrows teasingly. "Daniel Jackson, do I need to sit in the back seat on the ride back to the base?"

"No," he laughed, and started the car. "Let's just get going."

"One more?"

Daniel smirked at her. "One more." She leaned over and pecked him on the cheek, then sat back at he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Sorry. Maybe I'm having too _much_ fun with this," she chuckled.

"Well, thanks to me, you've definitely had to wait long enough to deserve it."

"Indeed!"

* * *

Jack hadn't been able to get time off to come to Sam and Simon's wedding, and he almost didn't get it to come to Daniel and Vala's. This time he had more time in New Babylon and the fact that the Global Community wasn't in the aftermath of a major earthquake on his side. It was still another two months, though, so the wedding was pushed back until they could get there. And even then, they didn't have long. But they took what they could get. 

Jack, Sara, and Gavin's plane arrived the morning of the day of the rehearsal, with Sarah Gardener's plane coming in only a little after theirs. It was convenient; no one would have to make two trips to the airport to pick them all up.

Daniel and Vala were the first to get there, just in time to hear that the plane would be early. So they were still waiting for Sam and Simon when Jack, Sara, and Gavin came out of the gate. Gavin didn't seem to know who they were at first, and shied in his mother's arms while the adults exchanged embraces and greetings. But after a few moments, his head perked up and he looked at Daniel when he spoke.

"Unca Danl?" he asked.

Vala grinned. "_Now _he remembers you."

Jack smiled at his son. "Yep, that's Uncle Daniel. And Aunt Vala, too."

"Yay!" the boy clapped. He reached out. "Unca Danl! Unca Danl!"

Daniel happily took him. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"

"He's almost two," Sara sighed.

Jack looked at Daniel and Vala shook his head, hiding a smile. "Engaged. Daniel, really. I leave, and look at the mess you get yourself into."

"Uh huh. First, it's not trouble. I'm quite enjoying myself, thank you very much, and second, that's my line."

"So? At least you know I remembered," O'Neill answered innocently.

"What are you talking about now?" Sara asked.

"Never mind," they said together.

Vala put a hand beside her mouth and whispered loudly to Sara, "I think our men are crazy."

"I think you might be right," she answered teasingly.

All of them turned when they heard Sam call from a ways across the terminal, and as a group went to meet the Docketts halfway from where they'd been crossing from, and there was another round of greetings and hugs. Jack pulled back and looked at Sam.

"Carter," he sighed. "But, of course, you're not anymore. _Now_ what am I supposed to call you when I don't feel like calling you Sam?"

She laughed. "I don't care if you call me that, Jack, but my husband might have a problem with it."

"Oh, don't mind me," Simon smiled. "Habits are habits."

"True," Jack agreed. "So, now what?"

Daniel glanced at his watched. "Well, you're early, so Sarah's plane will be here in about an hour and a half…I guess we could go stash your stuff in the cars and get some lunch around here until then."

"Oh, good idea. We need food," Sara agreed. "Especially that one," she said, nodding to Gavin, who Daniel was still holding.

Vala's eyebrows went up. "Speaking of that one, it's my turn."

"You sure?" Daniel asked, remembering how she'd been around the boy before.

She nodded. "I'm sure. Now hand him over you."

"He's not a baby anymore, Vala. You'll have to ask him."

She raised an eyebrow at him, but then shrugged and smiled at Gavin and held out her hands. "Hey, Gavin. Do you mind if I hold you?"

The boy studied her for a moment, tilting his little blonde head and looking at her with those big brown eyes of his. He was all seriousness for several seconds, while everyone else looked on in curiosity, until finally he grinned and leaned out. "Okay!"

Vala cheerfully took him, and played with him all the way out to the vehicles, once they'd picked up the O'Neill's luggage.

"Jack, you can put your stuff in my car. Sara, yours and Gavin's stuff goes in Sam's," Daniel reminded them when they got there.

"Ah yes: the slumber parties we planned on."

Daniel smirked. "Well, it's more for the girls. We men are just staying out of their way at my house, which is why Simon is coming over too."

"Right," Jack nodded in amusement.

Vala raised an eyebrow at them. "Well excuse me, darling, but I'm getting married tomorrow; I'd like some time to spend with my fellow females, and the base is hardly a great place to do it."

"Thus the reason for using our house," Sam nodded. "And don't worry; I understand you. They're the ones who don't get it."

"So what are you women going to do all night. anyway?" Jack asked. "Lay around in pajamas, eat junk food, watch chick flicks, and chatter?"

Vala, Sam, and Sara looked back and forth at each other, and then back at the men "Pretty much," they answered together.

"Sarah and Carolyn will be there too," Vala filled in.

Simon chuckled. "And remind me why I'm leaving my own house for a night so you can do this?"

"The wedding is at the church, so there's no need for any of them to go all the way back to the base tonight to stay, so since we only have two houses to use, it just kind of made more sense to have a women's house and a men's for tonight," Daniel shrugged. A temporary building had been put up where the church had been, once the site was cleaned. They couldn't meet in the park in winter, so it gave them a place to--yet something that hadn't taken long to build. They wouldn't need it for much longer anyway. "Not that I know what _we're _going to do.Watch whatever you guys want to and sleep, I suppose. Reynolds and Siler said they might drop by for a little while."

"Sweet," Jack said. "But…If we're going to get lunch before the other Sarah gets here, we'd better go now. Not to mention that it's already late for lunch here--and late late dinner time in New Babylon."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. As long as we grab something for Sarah to eat when she gets here."

Gavin squirmed. "Down! Down!"

"Say please, Gavin," Sara reminded him.

"Down please?"

Vala looked at him. "You want to walk over there to the restaurant?"

He looked at her blankly.

"To get food."

He nodded vigorously.

She looked over at Sara. "Can I let him do that?"

"As long as you keep a hold on one of his hands to make sure he doesn't run off, that's fine," she answered.

"All righty then," Vala smiled, swinging him to the ground and setting him gently on his feet. "There ya go."

Gavin reach up toward Daniel with the hand Vala wasn't holding, and he bent down a bit to take it, and the group started back toward the food court. It didn't take long for Gavin to start running, dragging a slight bent-over Daniel and Vala with him. Daniel laughed, but made sure to keep the by going slow enough that he wouldn't get himself hurt or go in the road, and Vala grinned and looked over at Daniel.

"Won't this be even more fun when we have our own?"

But beyond going a bit pink, Daniel was already too nervous to think any farther than the next day--not that he was going to say anything.

* * *

Late that night, after the rehearsal--which thankfully had gone pretty much smoothly--Vala, Sam, Sara, Carolyn, Sarah, and Jenny sat sprawled across the Dockett's living room in pajama's sniffling after the end of a recent chick flick. Sam was the one to get up and switch off the DVD player, then come back to the relative circle they had. Gavin was asleep on one end of the couch. Vala looked at him for a moment and smiled. "I'm glad Daniel likes children. I want one." She had to remember not to say 'another' one, because that would be hard to explain if Sara or Jenny caught it. The girl seemed nice enough though. She'd only met her a couple of times before, but she liked her. She had only come over for the movies, having been invited by Sam on Vala's approval. 

Jenny grinned. "I love them to. I just hope I live through the Tribulation so maybe I can get old enough to get married and have a few. If we can have children in the millennial kingdom."

"Well I sure hope so," Vala nodded.

"Does Daniel know this?" Carolyn joked.

"If he doesn't, he will tomorrow."

Sarah laughed, and Sara raised an eyebrow and stood and gently picked up her son. "Well, I'd better get this little one into bed. Sam, where do you want us?" she asked quietly.

Sam glanced back at the hallway. "You and Gavin can sleep in our room. The bride gets the other bedroom, and the rest of us will just sleep in here. We've got plenty of sleeping bags and stuff."

"Are you sure, Sam?" Vala asked once Sara had gone back. "I can sleep in here…"

"It's fine," she smiled. "You need sleep. We'll be fine in here, right girls?"

"Of course," Sarah agreed. "It's getting late; you should probably go to bed too."

Jenny glanced at the clock. "Uh oh. I'd better go too--back to my house. Mom wanted me home by eleven, and it's a quarter after."

"Ooops. You can blame me if she's not happy," Sam chuckled. "Now get going."

The girl hopped up and over to the door. "See you guys tomorrow." They waved their goodbyes, and she hurried out the door.

Vala stood. "Well, I suppose it's time for bed."

Sam and the others stood too, and embraced her as one, whispering encouragements before sending her to sleep.

* * *

"I look horrible!" 

Sam strode over to a fretting bride and the mirror she was staring at herself in in the bathroom of the new church building. "No, you don't," Vala's Matron of Honor told her firmly.

"I'm too thin," she pouted.

"It's your fault you were bitten by one of those bugs," Sam reminded her with a gentle smile. She put an arm around her shoulders. "But it got you going in the right direction. Besides, you do _not_ look bad. So you have a smaller waist and can't fill out the top of a dress as much as you could have a year ago. You're still beautiful. And trust me: Daniel doesn't care."

Vala sighed and smiled at her weakly. "I suppose I'm just a little nervous. Which doesn't make much sense to me. I've been married more than once before."

Sam grinned. "But were you in love on that day before?"

"Well, there was that fiancé back in my village, but we never got the chance, the others were for cover, and Tomin I didn't really fall for until afterwards so….no, actually. Not really," she answered thoughtfully.

"See? There's a difference between then and now. It's normal." She started urging her toward the door. "Now stop feeling down on yourself and go out there and _get married_!"

* * *

As much as she didn't really like him, Vala still loved her father, she had admitted, and so they had tried for the entire two months they'd had to contact him. But as usual, they had heard not peep from Jacek. Instead, Jack gave the bride away, and served as best man as well. As small of a wedding as it was, with only their closer friends from the church and the SGC, there was no need for any of the others to be bride's maids or groomsmen, and they were content to watch the proceedings. 

The only other wedding party member was Gavin, the ring bearer. He was a little young, but with an easily removed stitch or two to hold the rings down while he pranced down the aisle, it worked out just fine--and provided for a few good laughs.

The reception was there at the church, and not long. Daniel and Vala were glad to pull out of the parking lot in his car that--surprisingly--Jack hadn't tied any cans to. Vala glanced behind them as he pulled out.

"Aren't you going the wrong way?"

"No."

She smirked. "The SGC is the other way, darling."

"I know, but there are people in that crowd who don't know we have a stargate. They'd think it was a little weird if we started back for the base when we're supposed to be leaving."

"We _are_ leaving."

"Yeah, but they don't know that we have to go through a mountain to get there," he smiled.

Vala sighed and settled back, sitting as close to him as she could get without hindering his driving, and grinned at him. "I'm glad I talked you into going offworld. I've been suffocating here on Earth recently. We don't get out as much as we used to."

Daniel chuckled. "Not to mention that on planets with much smaller populations, it's a lot easier to book a honeymoon suite on relatively short notice."

* * *

At the SGC, they waited restlessly for the rest of their SGC comrades to arrive from the church, as they'd promised not to leave without letting everyone see them off--again. It seemed a little redundant, but who were they to argue with their friends who had helped them go much? 

General Landry, punctual as always, was the first to get back, along with Carolyn, and they waited in the conference room for the others. Daniel sat in one of the chairs, but Vala seemed to find his lap more comfortable, and he kept at least one arm around her waist. The rolling chairs had always been a little wobbly. They had to be a sight--in a black tuxedo and white wedding dress, respectively, at a briefing room tale twenty-eight floors under a mountain, grinning at each other like idiots with Vala in his lap--but Daniel didn't care.

Finally they remembered that they needed to change clothes, so when the others arrived, they were ready to go. The stargate was dialed, and they all made their way down to the 'gate room. Daniel and Vala walked up the ramp together, but stopped and turned to wave for a moment just in front of the event horizon, and the small crowd of friends at the base of the ramp cheered and clapped.

Daniel grinned and kissed Vala there, before picked up both of their bags. Then he and his wife stepped through the stargate together.

As the wormhole closed, General Landry shook his head and smiled. "I never thought I'd see the day."

* * *

Diane Hemmal, Jenny's mother, smiled as she started to clear the dishes from the table. "I'm so glad you could come for dinner," she told Sam and Simon. "Though I don't think we can ever repay you enough for everything you've done for us." 

Sam hopped up and started to help. "All we did was tell you the truth." Leah started to protest, but was shot down just as quickly.

"You were the one that chose to accept it," Simon nodded, locating a rag and wiping the table as the women started on the dishes. The teenagers had already gone back upstairs. It was now a couple of days after Daniel and Vala's wedding, and they wouldn't be back for another four.

"I know. I do understand that and much more now than I did then, thanks to you two…but I can't help feeling so thankful to you. If you hadn't let my daughter in and told her the good news of Christ first, none of us would be saved. And while Derek and I were still sick from those stings, you helped us out so much. Jenny and Emily couldn't handle it all on their own." Derek and Emily were Jenny's older twin siblings. They were both 19, but had been home on a break from their freshman year of college when the locusts had attacked. School was only now going to start again soon.

"We were only doing what any good brother or sister would," Sam smiled.

Simon nodded. "After all, we're all family now."

Diane nodded and smiled back. "Right." They did the dishes in comfortable silence for a few minutes, before she seemed to remember something and spoke up again. "Oh, just so you know, Sam, I've got to take Emily and Derek back to college the day after tomorrow. You know we've only got one vehicle right now, so I have to drive them. Would you mind keeping tabs on Jenny? She's a big girl; she doesn't have to stay with you, since you're so close, but you know."

Sam nodded. "Sure, of course. Or I could take them instead. There's no need for you to get out that far--"

"Oh, it's not as far as you might think--less than an hour. And they don't even have to be back for good yet. It's just for the day. Apparently they've made a few changes, and they've been out so long it's almost like a freshman orientation all over again. They'll probably leave me and go spend some time with their friends for a while, and we'll be back rather late, but I don't mind. They're excited about possible witnessing opportunities over there."

Simon smiled. "As long as you remind them to be careful. Unfortunately, we have to be these days, even if it isn't exactly illegal yet."

"It's close enough," Sam huffed. "I agree: be careful over there."

"Believe me; I know," Diane sighed.

* * *

At almost twenty, Shane Beck didn't know _what_ he believed. He played the part of the loyal GC citizen, said the words everyone expected of him about Carpathia, and agreed with them all that he had done a lot for the world. But he also had to doubt. And could the Christians--the Judah-ites, as they were called--be right? Was there a real God? What about everything that had happened? He hadn't been bitten by one of the creatures, but many around him had. 

It scared him. He wanted to know the truth. But he was afraid to go in search of it.

That was why, when Derek and Emily Hemmal returned to collage completely changed, he was curious. By the end of the day, he had gotten them to tell him why. And other students wanted to know, too. But then Jeremy Hesk had butted in.

Jeremy was something of the gang leader of the campus--an upperclassman with too much attitude for his own good. And he was fiercely loyal to Carpathia. Shane, Derek, Emily…they had all been part of his 'group' once. But as they had doubts about the potentate, they had drifted away, and it hadn't made Jeremy happy at all.

And _that_ was why Shane tried to run away when Jeremy broke up the little group of curious students that had formed around Derek and Emily. He argued with the two for several minutes, and Shane couldn't help but listen to how well the brother and sister gave their answers. They didn't argue back, really. They only answered the questions that made their way into Jeremy's tirade. Finally, Hesk was too angry to keep going. He stormed off, spouting expletives.

Emily and Derek decided to leave for home then, and Shane tried to slip away, vowing to himself to look up the website they had mentioned. But then he felt a thick hand grab the back of his collar.

"Where do you think you're going, Beck?" Jeremy growled.

"Uh…home?"

"Wrong. You're coming with us." Shane found himself dragged unwillingly away by Jeremy and his minions, and tossed into vehicle. There were so many people at the campus party that night that no one noticed. Jeremy drove off toward Colorado Springs, with his girlfriend in the passenger's seat, while Sane was squashed into the back with several more guys and girls.

He struggled. "Where are we going?"

Jeremy smirked. "I remember the Hemmal live back by Colorado Springs, but I don't know where. We're going to hide off the road somewhere, and follow them when they go back and find out. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do yet--but we'll do something. Those two are traitors--and their mom too, apparently. They think The Potentate is evil or something."

"They didn't say that," Shane said defensively.

"Oh yeah? It's obvious they're Judah-ites now, stupid. All Judah-ites hate His Excellency. They've gotta pay, man."

"Why?"

One of the other guys glared at him. "Why don't you just shut up, pipsqueak?"

Shane swallowed and shut his mouth, worrying. Jeremy kept going until they got to the river. At the near end of the bridge he hid the car in the brush and all of them watched. Shane just sat nervously. After a few moments, Jeremy got out of the car, opened one of the back doors, and pulled him out. The others piled out after them.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Shane protested, squirming. One of Jeremy's big friends stepped up to help him hold him, and then he couldn't move much anymore.

"I've got an idea of how to deal with these traitors, Beck. And you're going to help us with it," he smirked. The sound of a car coming made his head turn, and Shane too saw that it was the old car easily recognizable at the Hemmals'. Jeremy pulled the group back into the brush and leaned against the end of the metal railing, watching them come with a strange smile on his face that made Shane shudder.

"And just what kind of idea is that?"

"We're going to run them off the bridge."

Shane gulped back a gasp and fought harder. "Are you crazy! Do you know how deep that river is; they'll all drown!"

"Exactly," he smirked. "And it looks like an accident, no one gets it trouble, the he Global Community is rid of three disloyal citizens."

"You can't DO that!"

"Yes I can."

The car was almost there. "Oh yeah, and how?" Shane demanded. The car was bearing down on them. Jeremy laughed.

"By pushing someone out in front of them."

"Now I _know_ you're crazy. That's suicide!"

Jeremy looked at him with a wicked gleam in his eye. The rest of the gang members were sneering at him. "Exactly. That's why you're doing it."

"What--?!?!" But before he could do anything about it, Jeremy and the other minion holding him had given him a hearty shove out into the middle of the bridge. He landed on his rear a few feet out over the water, and by the time he turned in fear to find the car and get out of the way, he heard the squeal of brakes, saw a large brown blur and silver blur swerve around him, not quite missing. He was knocked to the ground again, and only heard the scream and crash of breaking metal as the side railing crumbled from the weight and force of the vehicle thrown at it. And oh god…were those screams?

Heart pounding and eyes wide in shock, Shane sat up and stared at the gap in the railing in horror, even as Jeremy and the other whooped and hollered.

It was the splash below that snapped him out of it.

"NO!" he screamed. Shane jumped to his feet and ran to the gap, looking down. But the car was sinking too fast. He only caught a glimpse of the bumper before it disappeared completely. He stared at the water for a moment, gasping, but no one surfaced.

Jeremy and his friends walked out onto the shoulder of the bridge, laughing. "That was great! I'm almost glad you survived, Beck. Now you can get a proper education," he smirked sarcastically. "I think there's still hope for you. You can be a good citizen if you want to be."

"What have you done!"

"I've just done a service to the Potentate," he sneered.

Shane stared at him in disbelief. Was this how people who were really loyal to Carpathia acted? How could he be so cold?

He decided right then and there that Carpathia _couldn't_ be good for anyone.

Then he dived into the river.


	40. News

Wow. I'm really sorry you guys. But this past couple of weeks have been crazy, getting ready for the play I'm in, and it won't be over until the end of next week. between that and school projects I've had almost no time to do anything. But I managed to scrounge this together, thnkfully, so here's chapter 40. I hope you enjoy what there is of it, and please do review...I could use some positive influence right now...I hate stress! Sorry. That was me venting. Thanks so much to all of you!

Chapter 40

Sam was startled out of sleep by the phone ringing. As quickly as she could while still groggy, she sat up and snatched it off its stand before the sound woke up Simon, too. Then she glanced at the phone, saw that it was almost eight in the morning, and realized that they should be getting up soon anyway.

"Hello?"

It was Jenny's voice on the other end of the line, sounding panicked. "_Sam? Good. I need help. I don't know what to do; they should have been back by now, but no one's here, and--_"

"Whoa, easy Jen. Slow down and tell me what's wrong."

The girl took a deep breath. "_Mom, Derek, and Emily should have been back around eleven or so last night, but I just woke up a little while ago, and they're not here_."

"Maybe they went to the store or something."

"_All together? And at seven thirty in the morning? After they were out late?_"

Sam sighed. "All right. Got me there."

"_And none of their stuff is here, either. If they had been here, _something_ would be different, or moved, or here…There would be something to tell me they'd been here, or mom would have left a note…She doesn't want me to worry about them. She would have made sure I knew where they were, or called if they were going to be late. But I haven't heard a peep out of them since they left!_"

"Okay, okay, I understand. It's probably nothing, but I would be concerned too. What do you want to do? It'll be another twenty-four hours or so before we could file a missing person's report."

"_Hopefully we don't need to. I don't know what I want to do, Sam, I just…needed somebody._"

She smiled even though the girl couldn't see her. "Look, why don't you come over here until they get back? We'll see when they drive in."

"_Well, it's kind of early; are you sure…?_"

"Don't argue with me; just get over here," Sam told her with mock firmness.

Jenny gave an uncertain laugh. "_Okay…just give me a few minutes. I'm coming_."

"Okay. Bye."

"_Later_."

The connection broke off, and Sam replaced the phone and stretched. She ran her hands back through her hair, which she suddenly remembered wasn't as short as it had been. She hadn't really been able to get anywhere to get it cut the five months the bugs had been on the loose, and the last three had just been busy. It was just past her shoulders now, and she liked it that way. Simon did too, which gave her even more reason not to cut it short again.

She could have woken him up because Jenny was coming, but decided to let him sleep instead. She grabbed some clothes and tip-toed out to the bathroom to dress.

* * *

Shane's vision faded in and out. He remembered the water, the cold, not being able to do anything….And then shouting, and being pulled and pushed, and prodded, and sirens…Now all he saw when he could open his eyes was a tiled white ceiling. He knew he should know what that meant, but nothing was coming together in his mind. 

Finally, he stopped trying. Shane let his eyes close again and his body pulled him back into unconsiousness.

* * *

The Hemmals did not return that day, and by the time noon or so the next day rolled around, Jenny was still staying with the Docketts, and was about to lose it. She was pacing the living room when Sam noticed a GC squad car pulling into her driveway down the street. She swallowed, only able to think of one thing that could mean. Either Jenny's family had been seriously hurt somehow or… 

The girl saw her looking out the window and came up beside her, looking where she was. She sucked in a breath. "Sam…?"

"I don't know, Jen."

"I should go over there.

Sam grabbed her jacket from the rack by the door. "Not by yourself you're not." She kept an arm around Jenny's shoulders while the two walked down to the girl's house, where a uniformed Peacekeeper was knocking on the door. He seemed ready to give up when he turned and saw the two of them coming up the driveway.

"Who are you?" he questioned.

Jenny cleared her throat. "Uhm, I live here. But my mom and my brother and sister never came home yesterday, so I was staying with the neighbors."

"Name?"

"Jenny Hemmal…"

The Peacekeeper glanced down at the papers in his hands for a moment, then looked up and nodded. "That's who I'm looking for. You are the only other family member?"

"Yes…" Sam could feel Jenny quaking beside her, and tightened her arm around her shoulders.

The Peacekeeper fumbled for his hat and pulled it off, and managed to look at least appropriately sympathetic. He glanced at Sam as if questioning her presence, and she returned him a look that clearly read _I'm not going anywhere, buddy--deal with it._ "Uhm, ma'am--ma'ams. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but there was an accident…" He only gave the basics of what happened, then quickly took his leave, scurried to his car and drove away.

By that time Jenny was sobbing, and Sam could do nothing but hold onto her. The girl's knees buckled, and she lowered herself down with her, both kneeling on the concrete driveway. Sam held her close, fighting tears herself. But beyond that and the shock, she could only worry about what would happen to Jenny.

* * *

It was a nice place--a private little rented cabin on the beautiful slopes of the mountains, not too far from the quaint little town in the valley where they could go out to eat, or to this world's version of the theater. Farther up the mountain, there was snow for skiing, and the rest was a breathtaking late summer or early fall landscape. With it being another planet and all, it was hard to tell. 

The best part was that they could be as alone as they wanted, but still is easy reach of other people if they felt the need. It was perfect, and Daniel was just as glad as Vala was that he'd let her talk him into coming here instead of a more crowded resort on Earth. But now, it was time to leave. Neither of them wanted to go, but then again, it would be good to get home. They didn't even have to move all of Vala's things to his house; even though he'd said he would do it, the others insisted on doing it for them while they were gone. It would all be ready for her to move in when they got there.

The couple packed their bags slowly, and instead of taking a cab (which was something like a horse, and a buggy and driver here) they walked down the trail to the town and the stargate, taking in everything on the way. It was about three miles, but that was all right, too. It gave them more time to spend here. And still they arrived at the base of the mountain all too soon.

"Time to go," Daniel smiled when Vala lingered at the 'gate, looking back.

"I didn't tell you this is where my parents went on their honeymoon, did I?"

His eyebrows went up. "No. You didn't."

She smiled wistfully. "My father was different then. But nevermind." She stepped closer to him and latched an arm around his waist. "You're right. It's time to go home."

He kissed her briefly, and then they went through.

General Landry was waiting on the other side, as well as Siler, Reynolds, and Carolyn--but no Sam.

The others welcomed them back warmly, and the general went back to his office, and Siler to work and Reynolds to finish writing reports, but Carolyn stayed.

"There's something you need to know," she told them as the three left the 'gate room together.

Daniel frowned. "Yeah…I was just going to ask you where Sam was. Is something wrong?"

"Not with her, no, not really. It's Jenny."

"What do you mean?" Vala asked worriedly. "What's wrong with Jenny?"

Carolyn was silent until she had led them into Daniel's office.

"What?" Daniel asked again.

The doctor turned to them and took a deep breath. "You know her mom and older brother and sister?"

"Yeah…we don't know them very well though. We only met them a couple of time, but they were at the wedding…And we only know Jenny a little better."

"What about them?" Vala pushed, clutching his arm.

Carolyn sighed. "All three of them were in a car accident about three days ago. We just found out yesterday. They went off a bridge, and…none of them made it."

Vala gasped. Daniel just swallowed. "And you didn't call us?"

"We didn't want to ruin anything for you, and you were going to be back soon anyway. Besides the fact that there's not much you can do. Jenny's staying with Sam and Simon for now. The funeral is in a couple of days, but we're not really sure what happens after that…"

Daniel couldn't help but grimace, flashing back to the day of his parents' funeral. "Are they at Sam's house now? Is that why she's not here?"

Carolyn nodded. "She didn't want to leave her. Jenny knows where they are and we'll see them again in four years, but she's still taking it pretty hard. Sam's upset too."

Vala shook her head sadly and held onto Daniel's arm.

* * *

The days leading up to the funeral were long and hard. It had been hard enough after Teal'c's death, and Cassie's…but then there hadn't been a miserable teenage girl she loved staying in her house who had been orphaned by the deaths. Jenny was almost seventeen now, but even if she was, it would still be under eighteen. She couldn't live on her own. Her mother's will left everything to her daughters, but the house and everything that wasn't hers specifically or had sentimental value would have to be sold, because she couldn't live there. If something didn't change she would be put in foster care for a little over a year until she turned eighteen, at least. 

She didn't have a choice.

And Sam hated it.

She couldn't stand seeing Jenny wondering around her and Simon's house, completely without any other hope than that everything would be over with in a little over four years. It hurt to see her like that, and she wished there was something she could do. But she couldn't bring Diane, or Derek, or Emily back. She couldn't change the laws either. She and Simon couldn't do anything but be there.

And then, with that, an idea wormed its way into her mind. She knew it was just slightly crazy, but then again not so much. She kept it and mulled over it, and finally decided that she wouldn't want it any other way. But how would it work? And would anyone agree with her?

Sam told no one until after the funeral. It would have been much too soon any time before. But when a social worker called to give a not-so-gentle warning a few days after that Jenny would have to be moved to an official foster home soon, that she couldn't stay with the Docketts much longer, it seemed time to bring her desire into the open. She only hoped Simon and Jenny would want it, too.

But before anything could be said to Jenny, she had to talk to her husband.

"Simon…" Just after they had crawled into bed, she decided to broach the subject. Both of them were still wide awake.

He turned to face her. "Hmm?"

Sam sighed. "Simon…I've been thinking about something."

"I noticed you _have_ been a little out of it for a couple of days. What's on your mind?"

"We can't let them take her."

"Jenny? You mean to a foster home?" She nodded firmly. "I don't like it either, Sam, but what can we do about it?"

She took a deep breath and let it out. "We can adopt her."

Simon propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her. "We've been married less than a year, and you want to adopt a sixteen-year-old girl?"

Sam propped herself up a little too, on her pillows. "Simon, if we let them take her, sure they'll put her in a good home--but it'll be a home with a family that's loyal to Carpathia. They'll try to brainwash her; I just know it. Not that they can, but…what'll happen to her in six months or so when things get a lot worse after the midpoint of the Tribulation? She won't be able to take whatever sort of mark they come up with. They'll kill her!"

"Calm down, sweetheart. I'm not saying no; I love her too. I'm just curious. You weren't this worried about her during that time before this happened."

"Because she would have been with her family, and her family would have been in one of the shelters the church around here has been making for when that time comes. Unless she runs away, that won't happen with a foster family. They won't care; they'll just report her as disloyal to Carpathia. They'll turn her in and _let_ the GC kill her. I hate it, but that's the way this world is now. And I don't want that to happen if we can help it. And if we adopt her, she'll be family, then when that times comes we can--" But she had to stop there, barely catching herself.

Simon bent a little closer, curious. "We can what?"

"We can protect her," she said quietly.

"How? How would she be much safer with us? We'll be on the run or in hiding just as much as the rest of us."

Sam knocked her head back against the headboard once or twice. "I…I can't really tell you. But we have somewhere to go when that time comes. I've mentioned it before. You know I can't tell you anymore. But just trust me. For a while, anyway, she'd be a lot safer with us then. I don't want to leave her here."

"We're leaving?"

She winced. "Pretty much…yeah."

Simon sighed and shook his head. "I'm still not comfortable with that thought. There's the group here, and the church, and the group from where you work…"

"They're coming too--al the believers from the mountain, I mean, and their families. We have somewhere safe."

"But what about the other two groups of brothers and sisters? What will they do?"

She sat up. "That's why we're helping them dig shelters and stock up on supplies. We want them to be safe too, but we can't transport _all_ of them. And there are…other reasons."

Simon sat up too and leaned against the headboard. "I don't suppose you can tell me those either?"

"Sorry…" she shook her head.

He looked at her for a moment. "I still don't feel the best about all of that….but I do trust you. I will find out the rest then, I take it?"

"Right. Now to get back to the point--What about Jenny? She needs us, Simon. We can't abandon her."

"Of course not. But we have to be sure…Have you prayed about this yet?"

"That's the _first _thing I did. It only made me feel more like it's what we should do," Sam assured him.

Simon nodded thoughtfully. "I like the idea, too. Don't think I ever didn't I just wanted all of the information…" he trailed off and looked at her again. "And you're sure this is what you want?"

She nodded vigorously. "If she'll have us, I couldn't think of anything better."

He smiled. "Then I agree with you."

* * *

"You want to…adopt me?" Jenny blinked. The lanky teenager was curled up on the couch, looking up at them as if she couldn't quite comprehend what they were saying. 

Sam nodded and sat down next to her. "Only if you want, but…yeah. We do."

Simon sat down on the arm of the couch at her other side, and she looked back and forth between them. It had been another few days, and with the incessant whining of the foster care system, they couldn't wait any longer to pose the question.

Jenny swallowed and looked down after a moment. "Sam….that's great and everything, but…I don't think I'm ready for…well…that big of a change…not after what happened…not yet…"

Sam put an arm around her shoulders, and Simon put a hand on her arm. "Nothing has to change between us, Jen. But we don't want you to have to leave and be put with a family you don't know--that aren't believers. If we do this, we'll be your legal guardians, yes, but we don't want to replace your mom, and you don't have to change your last name or anything."

"We want to do this to keep you safe, and to give you a home; because we love you," Simon finished gently.

The girl looked up tentatively. "But are you sure? I mean; I don't want to impose or anything. I've already stayed here long enough…"

"And we want you to stay permanently," Sam said firmly.

Simon nodded. "We're certain."

Jenny remained silent for another moment or so, before taking a deep breath and letting it out a little unevenly. For several long moments she said nothing; only stared at her lap.

"Jen?" Sam finally asked, concerned.

But Jenny still didn't answer. At least, not out loud. Instead, she silently hugged both of them hard.


	41. Going On

Wow, it's been...a long time. but the play is over! It went greant, and now I have so much more time. I'm 'very' happy now, thank you. So here's a long-ish chapter for you to enjoy now that I'm back, and I hope you enjoy it. :) I can't wait to hear from you in your reviews. Please let me know what ya think and that you're still withme, lol. ;) Thanks!

Chapter 41

"And she's sure they can't see in here?" Vala asked. Arms crossed, she studied the opening of the Tok'ra crystal-grown shelter in their cellar from within, looking out into the small earthen-walled room that was smaller than the one she and Daniel were standing in.

"According to Sam, no one should be able to, when the hologram is on. It'll look like a dirt wall from the outside, and it's transparent from the inside so anyone inside can see what's going on," Daniel answered.

The shelter had been down here for a few months, but Sam had only recently perfected the hologram programming and equipment to hide it effectively. He and Vala had just finished setting it up, per her instructions. The device sat just a few feet inside the shelter--which, Daniel had to admit, was bigger than the cellar itself. Thankfully the opening itself was only a third that size, and much easier to hide.

Vala shrugged. "Well, let's take a look, shall we?" She strode out of the shelter and back in the cellar. When she turned, she went a bit bug-eyed. "Daniel?"

"I'm here."  
"Well, I can't see you--it really does look like a dirt wall--just like it did before it was cut into. Sam's a genius."

Daniel grinned to himself and stepped out as well. She jerked a bit in surprise; probably it looked to her like had stepped out of a wall. He turned, too, and saw she was right. It just like his cellar wall always had. "Huh. What do you know? Well anyway…we'd better get the shelves and stuff back in front of it, still. We don't need anybody we don't want to falling through." With the last of those suffering from the locusts stings now recovered, they needed to take even more precautions. The GC was fully up-and-running again, with everyone healthy.

"Right."

They moved the full metal shelves back in front of the invisible opening, leaving only a few inches exposed so that anyone who knew where the entrance was could slip behind the shelves and into the shelter, but it couldn't be easily found by one who didn't know. Once they were done, they squeezed into and out a couple of times, testing.

"I think that's good," Daniel commented finally. Vala slipped back out again, and he still couldn't help but feel a little strange seeing her come out of the wall. But he decided that for their purposes in hiding the shelter, that was a good thing.

"Good," she nodded in satisfaction, smiling. "That means I can start on dinner."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You're cooking?"

She punched his arm playfully. "Oh, stop it. I've had two months of practice. I'm not _that_ bad."

He smiled back. "No; you're taking to it quite well, actually. It's still just a little strange, considering I know your background; that's all," he laughed.

Vala wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him, lips quirked. "Come on, darling, it's been quite a few years since I've lived in a real house--much less one that was actually mine in some capacity. Let me have my fun. "

Daniel answered by leaning down to kiss her briefly. "Maybe we should put your skills to the test some time and have company for dinner?" he teased.

"Why not?" she answered breezily. "But I vote Sam, Simon, and jenny. Those two are still new to the whole family thing too; they would be the most understanding if I screwed it up."

Working for who she did and having access to the connections it allowed, Sam and her friends had been able to pull enough strings for the Docketts to gain custody of Jenny. After more consideration, and the fact that the girl would be old for adoption in a little over a year anyway, it looked like they would be allowed to keep custody until she turned eighteen. Then, of course, she could decide for herself where or who she wanted to live with. But of course, they would be offworld by then, so it wouldn't matter. The current situation gave them what they needed to keep her safe until they all left.

"You wouldn't screw it up," Daniel shook his head.

"Better safe than sorry," she said, patting his chest. Then she released him and started happily up the stairs.

* * *

Shane Beck was more nervous that he thought he'd ever been in his life. Fingers trembling slightly, he checked the address on the scrap of paper in his hand and examined the numbers on the houses as he passed them slowly. Finally, he found the one he was looking for and turned into the driveway.

For the longest time he just sat there in his car, unmoving. There didn't seem to be any vehicles here, but then again, the garage was closed. She could be home, and she might not be. There would probably be someone else there with her if she was, because she wasn't eighteen yet, so…Well, surely there was other family would could take care of her, or something…Maybe she wasn't even here. He couldn't see any lights. But the sun was still bright enough that he wouldn't necessarily see any if they were on. It was late in the afternoon. Maybe they were eating and he shouldn't bother them…

He mentally kicked himself to stop from trying to think himself out of this. He had to do it. He _had_ to.

It took fifteen minutes from when he'd parked to get out of the car, and by then he was sure that if anyone was home they would have seen him by now. But no one had come out; Shane worried that this had all been for nothing.

He walked slowly to the door and knocked politely. After a few moments, when nothing happened, he tried harder, but again there was no response. He sighed heavily.

"Are you looking for someone?

Shane spun in surprise at the female voice to see a black-haired teenage girl standing behind him a few feet, looking at him curiously…yet cautiously.

He took a breath. "Uhm…yes. I was looking for the girl who lives here…or lived here with her family before…Well, if you know ho I'm talking about I suppose you know…"

The girl stiffened. "I know. What do you want her for?" It was then that Shane noticed a blonde woman standing outside the front door of a house on the other side of the street not far away, looking in their direction. The girl must have come from there.

"I ah…I was there when…at the accident. There's…more to what happened that she should know."

"Who are you?" she asked tersely.

"My name is Shane beck…I knew her brother and sister. Do you know where she is? Jenny Hemmal?"

The girl's expression softened a bit, and she swallowed and nodded. "Yes…I know where she is. I'm Jenny Hemmal."

Shane sighed in relief. He'd thought that she looked similar to Emily, but hadn't wanted to assume anything. "Oh…that's good, I…it's nice to meet you, Jenny…" He held out a tentative hand, and she shook it for a brief moment. "I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances. I didn't know your brother and sister all that well, but I did hear them mention you a few times."

"Anything negative?" She smiled in amusement, but her eyes were sad.

"Not that I remember," he answered truthfully.

She smiled a bit more genuinely then, and started to beckon him away from the door. "I've been staying with friends; if you want to come over, you can," she said, glancing back toward the woman in the doorway of the other house. "If you want to tell me…"

The woman at the other house greeted him warmly once she had heard who he was, and invited him in. There was a man, too--her husband, apparently--and they were fostering the girl. Their names were Samantha and Simon Dockett. They seemed to be very nice people, and he was glad that Jenny had such people to care for her. He couldn't imagine what she had been going through.

Once he was sitting down, and they were paying attention to him, he cleared his throat nervously, uncomfortable with what he had to tell them--especially Jenny.

"What is it?" Mrs. Dockett asked. She seemed genuinely concerned, though she couldn't know what was bothering him; not to mention that she had never met him before. These people reminded him of the way the rest of the Hemmals had been before….Were they Christians too? Could he perhaps trust them with the many questions that had risen since then? His doubts about Carpathia?

But first things first--he had to tell them the truth about what had happened to Derek, Emily, and Mrs. Hemmal.

Shane sighed. "I assume you heard what happened."

"Basically, yes," Mrs. Dockett nodded.

"But you said you knew more," Jenny pointed out.

He nodded wearily. "I do. I was there, like I said. And…I hate to tell you this, but…What happened to them was not an accident."

"What?" the girl asked disbelievingly.

It took several minutes to explain, and it took that long to convince him that he was telling the truth. "I'm so sorry…I tried to save them, I…I tried to get them, _any_ of them out of that car, but I couldn't, I--I'm just so sorry…" he shook his head, staring at his feet. He could hear Jenny gulping back tears, and he knew without looking that the Docketts were comforting her.

It seemed like a good time to leave them alone. Quietly Shane stood and handed Mrs. Dockett another piece of paper from his pocket, which had his contact information written on it for the, just in case. She thanked him for coming, and then he fled from the house and back across the street to his car.

* * *

Sam knocked quietly on the bedroom door. "Jen, are you up?"

"Yeah--come in," the girl's voice answered.

Sam pushed open the door, slipped in and closed it behind her. She'd only woken Simon up long enough to let him know she was leaving, and didn't want to bother him again. Jenny had been something of a night owl recently though--she had supposed she would be up already. Jenny was in her pajamas, sitting in bed and reading by the light of a lamp.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked, going to sit on the edge of the bed.

Jenny shrugged and held up the novel. "Just one of the newest--one of the few _not_ completely and hideously perverted. It's amazing that they're still able to publish anything in the first place these days."

Sam smirked. "Is it any good?"

"Not really. There can only be so many good--not to mention relatively clean--teenage vampire romances before it becomes tedious. Besides, no one ever did it any better than Stephenie Meyer.

"I never read those. I was way past my teenage years already when they came out, unfortunately," she admitted.

"I've got all three if you want to borrow them," the girl smiled mischievously.

"No thanks," Sam laughed. "I've got a bit too much to do before things change in few months to read three five-hundred-page books. But I'm glad you get some enjoyment out of them."

Jenny shrugged again. "Reading is something to do. It keeps me from thinking…" She trailed off there, eyes wandering into space.

Sam patted her knee maternally. "How are you doing?"

"All right, I guess…It's still hard. I miss them," she swallowed.

"I know," she nodded.

Jenny looked at her again. "But hey--we'll see them in four years, right? A little less, actually."

"And you just have to keep thinking that," Sam nodded.

"Right….so, did you come in here for a reason? You know I don't mind at all, but there's always curiosity…." She smiled a bit.

Sam sighed and stood. "Yeah. I just came in to check on you before I left for work. I should be going."

"This early?"

"We've got something to do this morning," she answered guardedly.

Jenny shrugged. "If you say so. But why do I get the feeling that there's more going on in that mountain than you tell us?"

Sam hands went to her hips. "Now where did that come from?"

"Sam, it's easy to tell dad thinks that, and once you're paying attention, you can see why. But I'm not saying anything." After never really knowing her biological father, Jenny had fallen easily into calling Simon 'dad' once it was clear that she had permission to. Sam didn't mind that she would never be 'mom' to the girl; she just thought it was cute.

So Simon wasn't the only one? Well, she should have expected it. But they would both know everything in a few months anyway. No need to get worked up about it. Things were a lot different now then they had been years ago--before the rapture.

"Good, then I'll just pretend you _didn't_ say anything young lady." Sam quirked a smile and leaned to kiss her cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Okay. Have fun--whatever you do over there."

She had almost gotten to the door when Jenny called out again. "Oh, Sam?" She turned. "Uhm…" Jenny reached over to her bedside table and picked up the piece of paper from Shane Beck that Sam had given her. She settled back under her blankets and looked at it. "I've been thinking for a few days about calling him. I was upset after what he had to say, and I never really got a chance to talk to him…"

Sam took a breath. "Well, that would be fine--not that I can really stop you, but…just so you know…it's all right with me."

Jenny smiled a bit. "Thanks."

* * *

Daniel grinned at the little bundle in his arms. "She's beautiful, Skaara," he commented yet again.

Proud father Skaara and mother Ashada smiled back at him and the rest as SG-1 huddled around the new baby. Well, not 'new' new. She was several weeks old, but this was the first time since her birth that they had been able to get to the Tok'ra/previous ascended planet.

Though it would soon become only the Tok'ra planet. The previous ascended were finally following up on their plan to move to their own planet, to spread out the believers, so there would be no target too big, and never too many believers in the same place to be found by the now galaxy-wide GC forces which didn't consist of only Carpathia-loyal jaffa anymore. The GC military was open for enlistment anywhere now.

Actually, most of the previously ascended were already moved. It was only the hesitance to bring a newborn through the stargate that had kept Skaara and Ashada here a little longer.

It was discovered that Reynolds was actually very fond of children, Sam and Vala couldn't stop cooing and smiling at the baby, and Daniel kept holding her himself to make sure that she wouldn't be smothered. Then he realized that he didn't even know the child's name yet. He asked.

Skaara smiled a bit wistfully. "Her name is Re'sha. It is the reverse of Sha're; the two name are often used together for twin girls. But Ashada's mother passed away when she was young, and it was her name, as well as relevant to me, so….we decided that it was appropriate."

Daniel had to stare stupidly for a moment before all of that sunk in. Sam was looking at him intently--probably to make sure he was all right. She was the only other person in the room besides Skaara who had been there back then. "Oh…wow. That's great, I…" He shook his head and smiled. "I like it too."

There was silence for a moment; no one seemed to know what to say next. Finally Skaara broke the silence. "And now _you_ are married, Dan-yer. You will catch up to us soon enough," he smiled. "You too, Samantha."

Sam 'Uhhhh'd, Daniel went pink, and Vala wrapped an arm around his. "He has a point, darling."

He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah…we uhm…we ah, haven't really talked about that one yet…"

"We should," Vala nodded adamantly.

Daniel sighed. "Vala, not now." She relented, but looked disappointed. Quickly he looked at his watch. "Uhm, what time to we have to be back?"

Reynolds looked at his own. "In about half an hour. If we're going to cycle through enough gates for safety as usual, we'd better get going." He didn't look happy to have to say it.

Ashada smiled. "Then you should go. We are glad you could come."

Daniel smiled and handed sleeping baby Re'sha over to her mother. "Thank you." He hugged Skaara, and goodbyes were said. They ran across Anise/Freya again in the corridor, bid her farewell, and had to be on their way yet again.

* * *

Jenny stared at the scrap of paper in her hand; her fingernails tapped noisily on the plastic case of the cordless phone in her hand. She had been reading and performing other useless tasks all day, trying to keep her mind off of what she really should be doing--calling Shane Beck. He had taken the time to come searching for her himself to tell her the truth about what had happened to her family, and she had let him leave without thank him, or talking to him any more at all.

And then there was the small fact that she couldn't get his face out of her mind for some odd reason…The straight blonde hair, upset blue eyes….

She shook her head and started to dial the number. She held the phone to her ear, and the tapping of her fingernails against the casing echoed in her ear while she waited for the ringing to cut short and be interrupted with a voice. Strangely enough, she remembered well what he looked like and what he had said, but not the sound of his voice. Only that he had been the one to tell her that her family had been murdered by a Carpathia loyalist.

Finally there was a clicking. "_Hello_?"

"Uhm…hi. Is this Shane Beck?"

"_Yes…is this Jenny Hemmal_?"

Jenny swallowed. So he remembered _her_ voice. "Yeah."

"_Oh, well, uh…hello_."

"Hi," she laughed nervously. "I just uhm…I wanted to thank you for coming. Here, I am. To tell me what happened. I know I wasn't really talkative after you did, but…I do appreciate it, ah, Mr. Beck…" She didn't know what else to call him. Better to be safe than offend him.

He gave a nervous laugh of his own. "_Oh, uh, you're welcome. But please…I was only a freshman in college until I dropped out after that accident. I'm not even quite twenty yet. Please don't call me 'Mr.' Shane is fine. I'm not that much older than you, really_."

Jenny took a deep breath. "Okay…Shane. I just…Well, that's it, really. I wanted to thank you…"

"_You're welcome_," he answered again, more softly this time.

* * *

Vala was the last through the 'gate, behind Daniel, and her eyes wandered back to the desert landscape as she went.

And saw something that shouldn't have been there.

She was already stepping through, and her momentum was enough that she had no time to stop herself before the wormhole took her and deposited her back on earth. She stepped out wide-eyed, looking around at the others to see if they had gotten a glimpse of the outlandish sight, too.

It didn't seem that any of them had.

"Uh…guys?"

"Hmm?" Sam asked casually.

Vala tugged on her sleeve and Daniel's, too, pointing back toward the gate, mouth open. Daniel looked back at her and frowned. "What is it?"

"B-Back on the other side!" she sputtered. "Just before we came through. One the hill, I saw…but it doesn't make any sense!"

"What?" Reynolds questioned. He was there now, too, and she could see General Landry wandering into the 'gate room as well, curious to what the ruckus was about, most likely.

"Horses! Huge ones! Sort of transparent, even, I think."

"_Horses_?" Sam frowned.

She shrugged. "Don't ask me. I only saw them for a moment. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But…but what if…?"

Daniel's eyes were wide now. "Oh crap."

"The next judgment?" Reynolds asked quietly.

Sam nodded with Daniel. "That would be my guess," she said.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Vala asked. "I remember something about fire, and, and sulfur…"

"And a third of what's left of the population dying," Daniel muttered.

The four of them were huddled on the metal grated ramp, and Landry called to them from the floor at the end of it. "Is there a problem?"

Daniel turned quickly to look at him. "There might be. Look…we need to get to the surface, right now."

"Why?" the general asked in confusion.

Sam started down the ramp first, and Daniel was right behind her, as were Vala and Reynolds. "We can debrief later, sir, but we may have a crisis on our hands."

"I promise we'll explain later, but we've got to see up there, _now_," Daniel added quickly. Strangely enough, Landry gave no more protests. Or maybe it wasn't strange. After they had been right about all of the plagues, he seemed to be more open to listen to them when they said something was happening or was going to happen. Instead of asking more question, he followed them as they made quickly for the elevators.

Vala could feel fear tightening her throat, though she wasn't entirely sure why. She hadn't gotten a good look at whatever had been looking down on her from those sandy hills around the Tok'ra planet gate, but they had seemed mincing enough then. Would believers be subject to the dangers of this judgment? Sometimes it was limited only to those who did not yet believe, and sometimes it wasn't…Was this one of those times? Or was this only to get the attention of the undecided?

Daniel stood restlessly in the elevator, Sam and Reynolds looked rather concerned, and Landry seemed to be thinking.

"What exactly do you think this is?" the general finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Well…" Sam started slowly. "If Vala really saw what she thinks she saw, then this could be the beginning of the sixth trumpet judgment of the Tribulation, told about in Revelation in the Bible."

Daniel grimaced seemingly at the thought. "It's in chapter eight or nine. 'The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths,' John said."

Vala's eyes went a bit wide. "That's what…a hundred million of those things?"

"Two hundred million," Sam corrected.

"And we don't know if that that many in whole, or that many on each planet."

Sam swallowed. "If this is that, I would guess the latter. It seems like a big number, and it _is_, but when you're talking about covering every inhabited planet out there…"

Landry looked a little shaken. "A third? A third of everyone left is supposed to die by the time this one is over?"

There wasn't much else to say; the other four of them only nodded.

The elevator rides to the surface didn't take too much longer, and they ran down the concrete corridor out to the parking lot, and looked out at the mountains. The grass had grown back in a thin layer since being burned up by the fire that fell with the hail and blood, and the trees that had burned as well were coming back as well. The foliage on the mountainside was patched with thin thickets of young trees between the older ones that had been unharmed.

And in amongst all of them, en masse, stampeded an army of unearthly horses and riders--riding right _through_ the trees as if they weren't even there and breathing smoke and fire.


	42. Collateral Damage

Yay! I got this one done quickly! I'm glad I have more time now. :) But anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 42

"This _is _bad," Vala gaped. Daniel could only nod.

"Is it just me, or are they coming this way?" Sam asked rhetorically. It was obvious that they were coming this way.

Reynolds swallowed. "We might want to get everyone inside."

"They're running through things like they're not even there. Will being inside even help?" Daniel frowned.

"Maybe not, but being twenty-something floors underground just might," Sam pointed out.

Landry was looking back and forth between them almost as if they were insane. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean what are we talking about?" Vala scowled. "Do you not see the fire-breathing army of horse coming this way!"

"What!"

Reynolds pointed--as if that was really needed. "Right _there_, sir, can't you see them?"

The general squinted. "I don't see anything--except some smoke coming from the mountains. Is someone burning something over there…?"

"No one is burning anything. Those horses are breathing fire, smoke, and sulfer--though we probably wouldn't be able to see that from here. You really can't see them?" Daniel asked, puzzled.

Landry shook his head in bewilderment. "No…what do you see, exactly?"

Sam gulped. "It's hard to make out details from here, sir, but they're oversized horses and riders with lions' heads and tails like snakes coming this way, and if we don't get everyone inside right now, there will be a lot of death. In fact, that might not even help, but we don't really have a choice."

By now Landry looked sufficiently worried, and he seemed to believe them. He started to open his mouth, but just them, the horses as one seemed to breathe out larger gusts of fire than before, and several trees burst into flames. The general jerked in response. "Would sending everyone through the 'gate help?"

"Probably not; these things are supposed to be everywhere," Reynolds deadpanned.

"Okay, they're getting a lot closer now!" Vala yelped.

Trees just down the road were bursting into flames now, and Landry lurched forward. "Get the men from the guardhouse in here!" It was as if the huge herd had just skipped forward, been in one place and then suddenly in another. But they weren't physical--Daniel supposed that made some sense.

The general started to run to the small glass structure at the 'gate himself, but Reynolds held out an arm. "You shouldn't go out there, sir!"

"But what about--?"

"I'll go get them," Daniel said quickly.

Vala looked alarmed at that. "But Daniel--"

"Easy, Vala. Dr. Ben-Judah said on his website that he didn't think we would be harmed by this judgment."

"But he doesn't know for sure!"

"No, he doesn't--but God is in control of when we go, remember?" he winked.

Vala gulped and nodded. Sam looked at him. "Just be careful. We'll head back down and warn everyone else."

"Good. Hurry."

The others scurried back to the elevator, and Daniel ran for the guard house at the end of the drive, on the other side of the parking lot. It was obvious that the men inside were not believers, because they weren't leaving. They were moving around, probably alerted by the burning trees and smoke, and one looked like he was on the phone with the inside. But they weren't leaving. And they needed to.

He hurried up to the door and banged on the glass. It took a moment before they noticed him, and opened it.

"Dr. Jackson?" one of them asked, confused.

"You have to get inside--now," he told them quickly.

"What's going on?" the other one demanded.

"There's no time to explain now!" he glanced out and saw that the horses were bearing down on them.

"But--"

"You have to get inside, or you could be _dead_ thirty seconds from now; is that enough information for you? Let's move!" He grabbed the arm of the nearest one and yanked him out of the guardhouse, just before the small building went up in smoke. The tiny construction was nothing but a pile of debris in seconds.

Daniel and the two guardsmen were on the ground, covering their heads, debris raining down on them. Daniel jumped up as quickly as was safe and urged the men to their feet. "Move!"

But the horses had other ideas. They were running right through them, but now they were snorting at the two men without the mark of God. A yellow smoke mixed with the dark smoke of the fire--sulfer. One of them inhaled it before had a chance to run, and dropped dead instantly. The other yelled his name, which Daniel didn't catch and didn't want to--it would only make him feel even more like a failure.

Breathing hard in horror, he dragged the other frightened man back toward the entrance to the mountain. Finally getting it, the man regained his feet and ran for the elevator himself. The horses were right behind them. Daniel slapped the 'down' button, but the doors couldn't open fast enough. One of the horses breathed out a gust of fire toward them.

Daniel cringed, expecting to be burned to a crisp. His thoughts went out to vala, and he prepared to open his eyes in Heaven….But instead, he only heard the scream of the other guard. He felt some heat, but nothing burned him even though he had been standing right next to the man that now lay dead at his feet. When he opened his eyes, he saw that there wasn't even a singe on his clothing.

And that the horses were running right past him and down into the base, right though the metals walls and the layers and layers of earth.

In an instant, they were gone, and except for the burning guardhouse and the corpses left by the horses, there was no evidence they had ever been there. But he knew where they had gone.

He didn't want to go down there, but he had no choice. As evidenced by what had just happened, there was really nothing he could do. He couldn't be hurt by this plague, and he couldn't stop it. But he had to go down there, there had to be some kind of damage control, anything he could do…

Daniel, stepped, trembling, into the elevator that had just opened. He could send a medical team up for the bodies later--when this was over. Shaken, he leaned back against the wall as the elevator door closed on the destruction behind him, and whisked him down toward even more of it.

* * *

There was a screech of brakes, more crashes then she would ever have liked to hear, and several surprised shouts from the other end of the line. Then silence.

Jenny jerked up on her bed, back ramrod-straight. "Shane? Are you there? What happened?" Nothing. "Shane! Shane!!"

There was another moment of silence, and then…"_Jenny…_?" It was soft, disoriented, but it was there.

"Yes! I'm here. What was that!"

"_I was…driving…_"

She frowned. "I think I figured that out, thank you. You crashed! Are you all right? How bad is it? Stay with me here!"

"_There was smoke…on the road. Truck a couple cars up…exploded…so much smoke…_" He coughed.

"Where are you?"

He told her, roughly, but she knew where he was talking about. He was still in Colorado Springs, strangely enough. Maybe he had nothing better to do.

That was when the phone went dead, and Jenny jumped up to find Simon. He opened the door to her room before she could get to it, asking what was wrong. She told him as quickly as she could.

"Can I borrow the car?"

* * *

It was a nightmare. Not long after they had gotten back down into the SGC and started to quickly spread the word about what was coming, it had come.

The horses stormed down into the base as if the metal, dirt, and rock weren't there. Of course, all everyone else saw was fire and smoke, and the yellow of sulfer--but the believers saw the horses. Vala and the others tried to help keep the panic down and keep people away from where the creatures were as much as possible, but how was that very possible when they were hunting down those without the mark of god? And how could panic be prevented when people were dropping dead left and right from smoke or sulfer inhalation or from being burned to death?

Those injured but not killed were helped to the infirmary, where Carolyn Lam and her staff were working frantically to keep as many alive as possible. Others were there just to stay away from the horses, who never seemed to go there even as they scoured the rest of the base. They couldn't say God wasn't merciful.

Vala was running back and forth between the infirmary and the elevator, worrying about Daniel. It didn't seem that believers could be harmed by the plagues from the mouths of the horses in their lion heads, but what if something else had happened up there? Where was he!

Finally, just as she was about to head back to see if she could help, she heard the doors open behind her and spun to see Daniel stumble out into the smoke-filled corridor. There were no horses in sight at the moment, but they were still about.

"Daniel!"

He looked up, squinting through the smoke. "Vala?"

She hurried to him. "I'm right here."

"Thank goodness," he said weakly, pulling her into his arms. Vala returned the embrace, and held on tight.

"The guards…?" She felt his head shake. He pulled back a moment, later, still looking a little shaken, but recovering quickly. They had all seen too much death, and this wasn't the end of it.

"Where are they?" he asked, looking around warily.

"The horses? They're around here somewhere, unfortunately. I have a feeling the infirmary will be full soon," Vala swallowed.

Daniel shook his head sadly. "And the morgue." He looked around them at the lingering smoke and the panicked people running past, hacking. "I guess we really can't be hurt by this judgment. We're not even coughing."

"Well you'd better start pretending, if you want to safe on this planet; let's go."

He nodded, and she led the way to the infirmary, calling to the frantic people through the smoke to get to the infirmary. Daniel helped, both faking coughs. They were able to stop once they reached the infirmary; it was mostly free of smoke. Sam darted in with a slightly burned woman, helped her limp to a chair, set her down, and then hurried out again. Carolyn and General Landry were inside. The general was doing whatever his daughter told him to in the way of helping with the injured.

Carolyn was trying to help a severely burned man on a gurney, but it looked to serious for there to be any hope, and the young doctor was clearly frustrated. Vala hurried to her side.

"The Goa'uld healing device. We have one, don't we? If I used it, would that help?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know; you could try, but you'd have to go get it first; it's in the safe with the other smaller pieces of Goa'uld technology we have, I think."

Daniel nodded. "That's right."

Landry looked up from where he was trying to bandage a more minor burn for someone else. "You're supposed to have superior permission to take things from that safe; you've got it," he told them quickly, and then went back to his task.

Vala turned to Daniel. "That answers that question. I'll be right back, Daniel."

"You're not going by yourself," he protested, following her as she went for the door.

"I'll be fine, remember?"

He gave her a determined look. "I'm coming with you."

She sighed and took his hand. "All right."

Together they stepped back out into the chaos.

* * *

Sam came back into the infirmary a moment later, bringing another patient. She had just passed Daniel and Vala leaving. One of the nurses, who had just finished treating the wound of the last patient she had brought in, moved to help the new victim.

"Where are they going?" she asked of Daniel and Vala. The expressions on their faces had looked a bit more urgent then even the others here. Carolyn told her, and she sighed.

"I hope that'll help some."

Carolyn looked grim. "You and me both."

Sam nodded and turned to go again, but ran into two young women coming in. She started when she realized who it was--It was Captain Jennifer Hailey helping in her friend, a limping Lieutenant Erin Satterfield. What was confusing was that Erin was the only one of the two with a believer's mark, and _she_ was the one limping.

"What happened?" she asked in surprise. They must have passed Daniel and vala as well, because Erin looked a bit distracted, and Hailey had to answer.

"She got trampled in the panic," Jennifer sighed. "We think her ankle's broken." It wasn't until they took another step and Satterfield winced that she seemed to be there. Erin had had a crush on Daniel from day 1, and even though both of them were Christians now and Daniel was married…Well, of course that wasn't really there anymore, but it was obvious the young woman still idolized him.

Sam sighed and helped Hailey get her to a chair and sit her down, shaking her head to herself. So the believers couldn't be directly hurt by this plague, but collateral damage was still possible. She should have known.

"Thanks," Erin grimaced. "Those horses are causing way too much panic for me."

"For all of us," Sam agreed.

"Horses?" Hailey looked skeptical.

Erin nodded. "That's what they are, Jennifer. I've told all of this a million times, but you're not listening."

Hailey's eyes narrowed and she looked like she was going to answer for a moment, but then turned away. "I'd better get back out there and see if I can do anything."

"Jennifer…" Sam pleaded. She was glad Hailey preferred her whole first name--otherwise it would get confusing distinguishing her from Jenny at home in conversation.

Not that it mattered. She wasn't listening right now. She left quickly, leaving Erin where she was. Satterfield shook her head in frustration. "She's so stubborn!"

"Don't I know it."

"What else am I supposed to do?"

Sam sighed. "Just keep praying for her. She'll come around eventually."

"I hope so."

* * *

"Where did he say he was again?" Simon asked, looking around, gripping the steering wheel.

Jenny squinted as she turned her head around, and finally pointed. "That must be it over there. I see smoke right around that corner."

"There's smoke everywhere."

"Well, true, but that's about where he said he thought he was, and there a thicker concentration of smoke coming from that direction, which suggests that a real fire was or is still there," Jenny huffed, ignoring his comment otherwise. They knew what was causing all of this, now. So far they had seen nothing but the death left behind, but they knew that this was all the work of the next judgment.

Simon nodded and started to turn the corner, when Jenny screeched. "Look out!!"

He jerked the car to a halt, eyes wide.

An army of huge, strange horses was coming right at them. It was too late to move, and Simon flinched, almost expecting the car to be trampled, as big as they were--but instead they went right through the vehicle. The cars behind them honked at them in annoyance, as if they had no idea what was happening.

"What is that!" Jenny cried in surprise. She was pressing herself to the door, as if to let the horses pass, but their bodies passed right through both of them as if it were nothing.

"The two hundred million horsemen of the sixth trumpet judgment," Simon said in amazement.

"You might have warned me that they were literal horses!"

He smiled a bit, "Well, technically, they aren't."

She scowled, "Well, they're literal enough that we can see them." The army passed, and she shivered and sat straight in her seat again. "Anyway…let's keep going. It should be just around this corner, like I was saying. I hope he's okay…"

Simon nodded and went on. Sure enough, around the corner was another accident caused by the horses--one of the first, actually. But there was no help there, no emergency vehicles. They had enough to deal with everywhere else. Jenny didn't recognize any of the vehicles, but Simon recognized Shane's, and when both of them had jumped out he led her to it.

There was no one inside.

Jenny spun around, looking about them frantically. "Shane? Shane, are you here? Shane! Shane!"

She heard a moan off to one side, and hurried around the twisted masses of metal to find Shane Beck on the ground, barely conscious. He didn't appear seriously hurt behind cuts, bruises, and scraped from being thrown out of the car, but then again, he could have internal injuries, or he could have a concussion.

Jenny swallowed and knelt beside him, while Simon hovered worriedly over them. "Shane…can you hear me?" All she got was another moan. She looked up quickly. "Dad, we have to get him out of here. He needs help. It's not going to come to him while everyone else is panicking."

Simon nodded uncertainly. "Of course. I don't know where we can take him, but we can try. Help me get him up--but be careful!"

* * *

Daniel and Vala safely got to the safe and extracted the hand healing device, and were about to head back when a young airman ran past them, yelling for help. Daniel stopped him.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

The man was out of breath. "Over--over there--" he pointed. "In one of the labs…Something's on fire, and the extinguishers aren't putting it out. There are people trapped in there, and there are more flammable materials in there that will be in reach of the fire soon! We don't know what to do! The scientists in that section say that the stuff in there isn't insanely dangerous or anything, but it'll still take out the entire lab if it blows. Everyone in there will be killed."

"What's the problem? They can't get through the fire to get out? Is that the only problem?" Vala asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

Daniel looked at his wife. "You get yourself and that device back to the infirmary. I'm going to see if I can help with this."

Vala nodded and ran off through the smoke.

The airman led Daniel back to the burning lab. Siler was there, still trying to put out the wall of fire inside the door that was blocking the occupants from getting out. He could hear them trying from the inside. There was no one else helping. They were too panicked to stop and try.

Siler sighed as Daniel came up beside him. "You know, if what I've seen holds true, you and I could probably walk right through this without a scratch--but getting them out is still a problem. I don't think any of them are believers."

"We could go in and bring out one at a time. We could protect them enough. It's not a whole lot of fire…"

"No, but it's hot enough. Maybe it can't hurt us, but I can feel that much. Besides, wouldn't that be a little odd? Us walking through it without being hurt? How would he explain that? The only answer we'd have would be the truth. Someone could report us."

"Nothing's working!!" someone from inside the lab screamed in panic.

Daniel shook his head. "We don't have a choice." He raised his voice and called to them. "Step back! We're going to get you out!" He heard them cautiously stepping back farther away from the fire, and looked at Siler. "You ready?"

The Seargeant shook his head. "As I'll ever be."

They stepped through together, getting away from the fire as quickly as possible, just because it was unnerving. The three scientists inside gaped and tried to question them, but they ignored the inquiries.

"We have to hurry; the chemicals in that cabinet are flammable, and we don't have the key to unlock it and move them," the one woman told them urgently, pointing. The fire was less than a foot from the spot, and moving not too quickly, but enough to be alarming. All three scientists still looked rather put out by their stunt, but willing to forgo questioning it for the moment to get to safety.

"All right, long story short, the fire can't hurt us, but obviously it _can_ hurt you. We'll take you out one at a time, and cover you as much as we can, but we have to move fast," Daniel told them. The three scientists nodded nervously.

They brought the woman out first, and as she was smaller and they could shield most of her, she wasn't really hurt by the quick jump through the fire. The next man was harder, and he ended up with a few minor burns, but he was all right, and thankful to be alive, and not in danger of being blown to bits.

"It's going to blow!" the last scientist said suddenly, just as Daniel and Siler stepped back through to get him. They wasted precious seconds glancing in the direction he was waving, and saw the flames licking at the cabinet.

"Move!" Siler shouted, pushing him toward the flames at the door. But he was still hesitant to go through them, even with the imminent danger.

"I can't!" he cried; he looked scared out of his wits.

Daniel growled in frustration. "Would you rather be dead? Let's _go_!" They pushed and pulled, but the scientist's feet remained planted. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the man was terrified, unable to move.

There was a new voice out in the hallway, and Daniel realized that it was Sam, asking what was going on here. He and Siler called to her, and a moment later she had stepped through to where they were, flinching from the mental shock of stepping through a wall of fire.

"Okay, that's weird…"

"I agree, Sam, now please help us get this guy out of here," Daniel said urgently.

Siler pushed on him again. "He won't move!"

"No, no!" the man cried, shaking his head. "We're gonna die, we're gonna die…!"

"You are not going to die! Please, just move!"

"Where are the other two?" Siler asked.

"They headed for the infirmary," Sam said, grabbing an arm of the frightened man. "Let's move it, doc."

Siler glanced at the cabinet. "Make that double time! Go!" The cabinet burst into flames just before they hurried ou6t through the fire, and before they could go any farther, they heard the inevitable explosion behind them. The scientist's screams he heard first, as the man was consumed by the flames.

Daniel felt the fact of the extreme heat, but it didn't hurt him. Nothing burned him--but he did feel the impact with the corridor wall he was flung into. He cried out, and sank to the ground. He heard Sam, and Siler yell too, and hoped they were all right. He was, except for the knot on his head and having the wind knocked out of him, and some twinge in his side, probably from bones being knocked around…

He looked around. There was nothing of the scientist left, but Sam and Siler were sitting up. Siler looked like he'd been scraped up by the scrap metal, but was all right. It wasn't until he saw Sam holding her arm that he was really alarmed. There was a sizable gash on her upper arm, enough that it might even impair movement. She was leaning heavily on the wall, gasping from the sudden adrenaline overload, and probably the pain.

Siler was looking at her in concern, and Daniel grimaced. "Sam…how you doing?" Why was his voice so weak?

"I'll…be okay," she gulped. She looked at the blackened lab where the scientist they'd been attempting to extract had been. "I don't think he is though."

He swallowed, not wanting to think about it. At least this time 'some' of them had gotten out. He hadn't been a complete failure…

That was when he realized that Sam had turned and was staring at him in horror.

"What?"

Her hand went to her mouth. "Daniel--!"

Siler turned to look at him now, and the sergeant sucked in a quick breath.

Daniel was only confused. His still muddled brain could only come up with one reason they might be looking at him like that. "What? I'm fine." He reached for his right side. "Just a little bruised up, and I've got a crick in my side, but--"

His hand slipped on blood.

It ran into something cold and metallic that ended at his jacket.

His eyes snapped down, and saw it--a thin shard of metal about five inches wide was lodged into his flesh, and sticking out several inches. Daniel had no idea how deep it was. He hadn't felt it.

"W-What…?"

But before he could wonder any more, blackness claimed him.


	43. New Family

Meant to get this up yesterday but FFN was being annoying, lol. Sorry I left ya'll hanging at the end of 42. So here's what happens, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. :) I can't wait to hear what ya'll think! Thanks! hugs

Chapter 43

The healing device was working enough to keep those most seriously injured alive. Vala was glad of it, and was just hoping that Daniel would get back soon, when Siler burst into the infirmary, calling her name.

"What?" she called, worried. The sergeant found her and hurried across the infirmary to her, breathing heavily as if he'd been running.

"There was an accident…in one of the labs…and explosion. Daniel…he was hurt," he explained quickly. "It's…pretty bad. We didn't want to move him…"

Vala glanced at Carolyn, who waved a hand in dismissal. "Go."

Vala nodded and turned back to Siler. "Take me to him," she said urgently. "I can help with this," she said, showing him the device on her hand.

"Sam said you'd gone to get it," Siler nodded. "Come on; we should hurry." He rushed out, and Vala followed him closely, her heart pounding in her throat.

When they had made their way down to the corridor in question, she pulled in a breath when she saw him--and the scrap metal sticking into him. "Daniel!" She knelt quickly beside him, fixing the healing device on her hand more securely.

Sam was still with him. His head was on her knees, and the woman looked almost ready to cry. Daniel was unconscious. Sam was more than relieved to see them.

"I do have some medical training, but I can't know how bad it is without any equipment. But I didn't want to risk bringing him to the infirmary; moving him…i-it could have killed him," she explained shakily.

Vala had to put out a hand against the wall to keep from falling over from dizziness. She swallowed hard. "It's…It's all right. I've got it. I can heal it, or most of it, probably." But would she be able to do it when she was this worried? The device required a mental component, and if she was distracted….

She knew she was capable of doing it, but seeing Daniel this way even knowing that enough to shake her badly.

"Vala?" Siler questioned.

"I'm fine…I can do it, I just…" She grimaced. "That thing has to come out first."

Sam didn't look so sure. "But the bleeding--"

"I'll stop it before he loses too much. I'll make sure I heal the surface first. Look, I don't like it either, but you've got to trust me. He'll be all right," Vala answered sharply--a little more sharply than maybe she would have liked. But she didn't have time to worry about that now.

"It'll probably wake him up," Sam said after a moment.

Her mouth pressed into a grim line. "I know. But we don't have a choice, and I don't know if it would be wise to take the time to go back to the infirmary and get a sedative." There was already enough blood on the floor, and it was still leaking out.

The other woman nodded and sighed. "Okay…"

Vala looked at her and Siler. "Listen. Once it's out, I'll need to get started and done as quickly as possible, so I won't have any spare concentration to talk to him. You'll have to keep him calm if he wakes up."

"_If_?" Siler scowled, obviously not a big fan of this idea. She gave him a look.

"I understand," Sam answered.

* * *

None of them liked it, but it was what needed to be done. In the end--ten seconds later--it was Siler who pulled out the metal scrap, leaving Sam's hands free to hold onto him in case he moved.

And move he did. Daniel was awake immediately, screaming. Sam kept tight hold on his upper body while Siler kept his legs down as Vala instantly activated the healing device. But that feeling only confused him more, and he tried to thrash again.

"Daniel! Easy! It's okay, we're trying to help!" Sam told him.

"It's all right, it's us," Siler was saying.

"You have to keep still," she warned.

Daniel slumped back against her knees, gasping. His eyes darted back and forth in disorientation, and if he hadn't been in pain before passing out, he certainly was now. And he was confused. But he seemed to see Vala, and settle a little bit. Sam saw him open his mouth as if to say something, but she shushed him.

"Don't try to talk just yet, Daniel. Just take it easy. You'll be all right."

Vala was concentrating hard, eyes closed. Daniel saw the healing device, and finally stopped trying to move in any way. He lay where he was, taking slow breaths that didn't sound easy. At least not at first. It seemed to get easier as Vala continued, and Sam was finally able to breathe a small sigh of relief.

Daniel was going to be all right.

* * *

Jenny glanced back at Simon when he came up beside her again.

"You don't have to stay here," he reminded her gently, giving her a small smile. "We can take turns."

The girl shook her head and turned back to looking at Shane, who was still out several hours later. By some miracle they had gotten him into one of the last beds in the nearest hospital. It was one in a long ward, and beyond a curtain around the bed there wasn't much privacy; she hadn't even bothered to close 'that'. There wasn't much point. He hadn't even woken up yet.

His injuries weren't as bad she'd worried they might be. He had a mild concussion, a couple of broken ribs, and some concern from smoke inhalation. But otherwise, the doctor that had seen him briefly had seemed positive that he would be all right with time.

Jenny had been sitting here almost since they arrive, and she had no intention of moving. Maybe she didn't even really know this young man, but that didn't mean she didn't care. On the contrary--she cared very much.

She sighed. "I know…but I'd rather stay."

Simon nodded silently and squeezed her shoulder gently. "All right…Do you need anything?"

"No thanks; I'm good," she shook her head.

"Okay. I'll be around, all right? I'm not leaving; I'll be in the lobby. If I'm not sitting out there, I'm right outside calling Sam. I should let her know where we are; she'll probably be coming home soon, if they haven't held her at the base because of this."

"Right," Jenny agreed. "You go call her. I'll be right here."

Simon gave her another smile and left, and after she'd watched him go she returned her attention to the bed again. Shane, of course, was still out. And, of course, as a teenage girl, she couldn't help but notice how cute he looked that way. She vaguely remembered thinking that he was attractive when she'd first seen him--before her mind had been distracted by why he was there. Straight blonde hair cut just above his ears on the sides, and stunning blue eyes…that were staring right at her.

Jenny started. "Shane!"

He didn't jerk like she had; he just looked at her in confusion. "Jenny….?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Where am I?"

She calmed herself and straightened. "You're at the hospital. You were in an accident."

His eyes glazed over with groggy amusement. "Figures. I've never been the best at the whole driving thing."

Jenny grinned. "I've got you beat. I'm seventeen and I don't even have a permit yet. Though I guess I can use all of the strange things that have been happening the past few years as an excuse."

"I would," Shane agreed. He started to shift position a bit, but then grimaced and decided that wasn't such a good idea.

"You okay?" she asked in concern.

"Yeah…Yeah, I'm fine…I think." He looked at her, eyes clearer now. "What's the prognosis?"

"Two broken ribs, and a mild concussion," she reported, wincing. "Not horrible, but I'm glad I'm not you, no offense."

"None taken," he chuckled. But that wasn't a great idea either, apparently. He grunted in pain, and Jenny couldn't help but be a little worried.

"Be careful."

He sighed carefully and smirked. "Thanks, I figured that out." There was a moment or so of silence, before finally he broke it, asking, "What happened? It's coming back to me…and it wasn't just a car wreck. The car a couple in front of me exploded--just like that. With no obvious reason."

Jenny leaned forward a little, having anticipated this discussion.

"It was the horses of the next judgment from Revelation in the Bible. They breathe fire, smoke, and sulfer. That's what made that car explode. You just couldn't see the horses themselves."

He looked at her strangely. "Why not?"

"Because they're spiritual. We can see them though--believers. I don't know why God chose to not allow everyone else to see them, but that's the way it turned out."

Shane looked at her for a moment. "How did I know you would be just like the rest of your family?"

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked sheepishly.

"No…I expected it, actually. They were so different from before. I didn't see how you wouldn't be affected by it too. I was…listening to a lot they were saying that day…"

Jenny smiled. "Good. Do you want to hear more?"

He seemed to think about that for a moment before answering, "I'd like to."

She crossed her arms on her knees. "All right. How much do you know already?"

* * *

When Daniel woke again, the first thing he noticed, gratefully, was that he wasn't on the cold floor anymore. He didn't even open his eyes to the ceiling of the infirmary. Instead, it was his room in the SGC.

"Hey."

The voice was off to his right, and he found Vala beside him, as if she'd been sleeping while waiting for him to wake up.

He shifted just a little to be able to looks at her better; it hurt, but not too much. He glanced down to see that he was in infirmary scrubs, and he could feel the bandages wrapped around his middle under the shirt.

"Hi…" he answered, a little confused.

Vala smiled. "You'll be fine. We got that nasty piece of metal out, and I was able to heal most of the wound. The surface is healed over, so the bandages are just for precaution. Carolyn says you'll still have some healing to do. She wouldn't let me finish; there were other patients that needed my expertise. And then she made me promise to get some rest."

"Good for her," Daniel agreed. At his smile, she took that as her cue to slide closer, and he wrapped his arms around her carefully.

"How's Sam?"

"She's okay."

"That's good."

Vala buried her head in his chest. "I thought I was going to lose you there for a minute or so."

"I'm not going anywhere before my time--and I guess I have you to thank that it wasn't today." When she didn't answer--only held onto him--Daniel smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

It was late by the time Sam was sure Daniel was all right, she'd been treated herself for the arm injury, and she'd been able to get out of the SGC. Thankfully it hadn't been deemed necessary to lock down again due to this incident. She got the call from Simon on her cell phone just as she was pulling out of the base parking lot, and decided to head for the hospital instead of home.

Simon was sitting in the lobby as he'd said, only now he was half asleep. She had to nudge him a couple of time to bring him around enough to notice her.

"Sam," he sighed, standing groggily and hugging her.

She had to take a step back, wincing. "Easy, buddy."

Simon straightened and blinked at her in confusion for a moment before seeing the sling her left arm was in. "Sam! What happened?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I told you on the phone that there'd been an explosion in one of the labs because of the fire."

He scrubbed at his eyes. "And you told me your arm was hurt, but it was nothing serious. You didn't tell me in was in a sling. How did you even get here?"

"I drove my car."

"Like that?" He looked a little put out.

She sighed. "I can still move it, it just hurts. But you know Carolyn. She didn't want me doing anything with it. The only way I got her to let me leave was compromising. She let me drive, and I promised to keep it in a sling for a week or two and not use it when I wasn't."

Simon shook his head and smiled. He hugged her again, watching for her arm. "You're stubborn; you know that?"

"Know it, and proud of it," Sam teased. "So how is he?"

"The boy will be fine. He only recently woke up though. Jenny's still in the ward talking to him."

"Dad! Dad! Simon!"

The call came from down the hallway toward the elevators, and they both turned to see Jenny bursting out of one of them.

"Or not," Simon smirked.

When several heads turned in her direction, she quieted, but still broke into a run to get to them. She was grinning.

"Guess what?" she said excitedly when she reached them.

Sam let go of Simon and turned to her. "What's so exciting?" she smiled.

But Jenny frowned, momentarily thrown off. "What happened to you?"

"An small explosion at the base because of the horses; got cut by some scrap metal, but I'll be fine. Now what's going on?"

She still looked concerned, but it couldn't completely overrun her excitement. "Shane did it!" she told them quietly, even though she was practically bouncing. But caution was needed in places this public. "He's one of us now!"

* * *

By that night, the horses were all over every major news network--or the fire, smoke, and sulfer were. Only the believers could see the horses in the footage. No one knew how to explain it--only as a natural phenomenon gone awry. Thousands were dying, and it wasn't over yet. There were 200 million horsemen, according to the passage in Revelation. That was a huge number, but they couldn't cover the entire globe all at one. There were still plenty of areas that had not yet been attacked--but they would be.

As a doctor and human being in general, Carolyn shuddered to think what that would mean in casualties. Not that she had to very much; she knew it was supposed to be a third of the remaining population. But she couldn't get her mind around the number. Hundred of thousands…millions….and if one counted the rest of the galaxy, billions.

She didn't want to think about it. Her own infirmary was already full.

It was late now--or early in the morning, depending on one's point of view--but General Landry was still up and around. When she wasn't tending to patients, Carolyn could stand in her office doorway and watch him pace up and down the rows of beds. Occasionally he would stop to speak with one of those that were awake, offering what encouragement he could. She had to admire what she was seeing; the picture of a good leader in a crisis.

Carolyn was about to get back to work when her father turned and seemed to notice her standing there for the first time that night. Something registered in his eyes, and she wondered what was on his mind as he made his way over to her. He stood at her side and looked back at the full infirmary.

"Dad?"

He sighed. "My grandma used to talk about Armageddon sometimes…Is this it?"

Carolyn crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe of her office door. "No. That's not for another four years."

"Then if this isn't the end…does that mean that…maybe it's still possible to believe? In your God?"

She straightened in surprise. "Of course it's possible. He wants you to believe. He loves you."

"And everyone? That's what you and the others are always saying."

"That's right," she answered quietly, nodding. "Why? Do you believe it?"

Landry was quiet for a moment, before he nodded slowly. "I think I do. But…I don't know what to do."

Carolyn smiled softly, fighting not to tear up at the same time. How long had she waited? She held out her hands. "I can help," she said, stepping back into her office, hopping he would follow.

He looked at her for a moment, and it was the longest moment of her life, wondering…Until finally he came in and closed the office door. The general took a deep breath. "What do I do?"

* * *

Breakfast in the commissary was late the next morning--more of a brunch, as it was almost lunch time anyway. Daniel convinced Vala to bring him there to eat with everyone else, but she only agreed on the condition that he let her get a wheelchair from the infirmary to bring him there in. He agreed to the terms reluctantly.

Siler and Reynolds were the only ones there when they arrived. Vala parked Daniel at the table where they were.

"I could have wheeled myself here. There's nothing wrong with my arms," he complained.

"True, but you can't wheel around in that and get your food from the line at the same time. You wait here. I'll be back," she replied, patting his shoulder before scurrying over to the line.

The other two men were smirking in amusement, and he shot them a look. "Don't say a word."

They only snickered. "We weren't saying anything," Siler told him.

"I could have walked here, actually. She just wouldn't let me. And she's my wife. What can I say?"

"Not to mention that at the moment, until you're more recovered, she _is_ stronger that you," Reynolds pointed out.

"Okay, I think you two should be quiet now," Daniel smirked.

Reynolds relented. "All right, all right…hey, have you heard from General O'Neill yet?"

"Yeah, earlier this morning. The horses haven't hit New Babylon yet, so they're fine. He was just worried about us."

Sam was the next to arrive, coming in late from home. She told them about Shane, which was a piece of good news to start the day with, even after what had happened the day before. Then they were wondering where Carolyn was; she was the only member of the Trib Force SG-1 missing that morning. They hadn't planned on eating breakfast together, but it seemed to be working out that way anyway.

It didn't surprise anyone when the doctor came in late, but what did surprise them was that her father was with her--and that the general had the mark of the believer on his forehead.

"General!"

"Sir!"

There were exclamations of surprise and delight from all around the table. Landry grinned as if you say 'surprise'!

Daniel was grinning, too. He could tell that everyone wanted to jump up and hug him, but that would have to wait. There were others in here, not believers. It would be a bit hard to explain. They probably already looked a bit strange to anyone watching.

Carolyn grinned and found another couple of chairs so that both she and Landry could sit at the table with everyone else. He pushed her chair in for her once they had gotten their food and she was seated, and then settled down himself. He glanced around at the rest of them again, smiling. To anyone watching who didn't know what was going on, it would have looked like they all knew the most wonderful secret in the world.

And they did.

"I guess all things do work out for good," Daniel said earnestly.

* * *

It was that afternoon that Daniel's cell phone rang again. Vala had with him most of the day, even though there wasn't much to do besides watch DVDs. But he'd finally convinced her to go do something. She hadn't been gone for long, and he wasn't quite sure where she was, but he had no doubt that she wouldn't be able to keep herself away for long.

Daniel turned in bed enough to grab his phone, and frowned when he saw Jack's number flash across the screen for the second time today. Concerned, he quickly flipped the phone open and held it to his ear.

"Jack?"

"_Yeah, uh…hey, Daniel._"

"Something wrong? Are the horses there? Are you okay?"

"_Whoa, easy, Danny-boy. No, it's nothing that drastic. Well, okay, it is kind of big-ish, but not like _that_, or whatever. Thought you'd like to know though…_"

Daniel raised an eyebrow out of force of habit. "Okay….Jack, are you all right? You sound a little…distracted."

Jack barked a laugh. "_Well, hey, you would be distracted too if you'd just gotten an e-mail from yourself_."


	44. Jon

Well, here's a nice surprise or two in a nice long chapter for ya'll. I hope you like it:) Please let me know what you think. I can't wait to hear from you. Thanks so much!

Chapter 44

Jack heard Daniel snort. "_Yourself_?"

"Well, sort of, yeah."

There was a pause. "_Wait a minute…You don't mean…_?"

"That's exactly what I mean," Jack chuckled, glancing back at the computer screen in front of him in his office at home. He couldn't quite believe it himself.

"_Really_? _The clone you sent you an e-mail_?"

"Yep. Apparently he's recently become a believer, and wanted to check up on us. Maybe he's kinda of a different person now, but he still remembers the six or seven years with you, Sam, and Teal'c just like I do. It makes sense he's be worried about you…and I guess me to some extent." Jack smirked to himself. "Though it does seem that it's more about you guys. Typical."

It was another moment before Daniel spoke again. "_Well…huh…wow. So uh, how's he doing_?"

"Wouldn't know. He didn't say much. He gave me an IM address and says he has a webcam, and also a cell phone number in case I 'think it's too weird talking face to face after all this time' or something like that. What the heck. I'll just use the webcam thing. We've got one. Besides, I'm curious if he's aging the same rate I did."

"_He was supposed to grow up normally from where he was_."

"Well, yeah, but he's what, 21 now? I wanna know if he looks exactly the same I did. So I have weird curiosities. So shoot me."

Daniel laughed. "_Whatever, Jack. Just let me know how he is once you find out_."

"I'll give him your number."

"_Sure_."

Jack paused. "So…how are you doing?"

A sigh. "_We did this a few hours ago, Jack. I'm fine_."

"Maybe so, but as I heard it, if it weren't for Vala, you'd be dead," he pointed out. "That's enough to make a guy worry."

"_I'm fine, Jack. How's everything over there? We were a little more focused on what happened here and I forgot to ask._"

"Ah, we're good. You know Gavin's just over two; Sara and I are re-learning what 'terrible twos' is all about. He's a good kid, but gets into _everything_. It doesn't help that he's cooped up several stories off the ground in this apartment most of the time. Sara's at the park with him now. We've gotta get him out when we can."

"_You're not worried about the horses at the moment_?"

Jack shrugged. "I figure we'll have at least some warning of when they'll be here, not to mention that we don't really have to worry about them in the first place."

"_Yeah, I guess so. Just be careful_."

"Aren't I always?" he scoffed.

As they'd talked previously, the phone conversation didn't last much longer. Jack hung up the cordless phone and turned back to his computer, shaking his head again at the e-mail staring at him. It took a few minutes, but finally he started to sign into the IM program his other self was using--the same one he himself had used since the technology had premiered. He hardly ever _did_ use it, but he had an account, in case it was needed for something. Now was one of those times.

But before he could even finish logging it, something caught the corner of his eye. Jack frowned and glanced out the one window in the office, but he couldn't tell what he was seeing. With a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, he jumped up and hurried out into the living room with it's floor-to ceiling windows. He quickly found the shape in the distance and focused on it.

It was coming closer.

It was undulating, writhing, growing bigger by the second. At one point it popped out of existence and reappeared a nano-second later much closer. It was then that he could make out individual shapes within the larger, dark mass.

It was the horses.

Jack's eyes widened, and seconds later his cell phone rang. He yanked it out of his pocket, hoping it was Sara, and flipped it open.

It was David Hassid, instead. "_Are you seeing what I'm seeing_?"

"If you're talking about a mass of huge spiritual horse coming straight at New Babylon, then yeah."

"_Me too. Where are Sara and Gavin_?"

"In the park…" Jack frowned.

David sighed. "_I know we've heard that we can't be hurt by these plagues, but it might be smart to get them home as quickly as possible_."

"I would agree. Where are the others?"

"_Annie's here with me. Mac and Abdullah aren't back yet; they're flying Leon and company heading to a meeting with one of the sub-potentates_."

Jack was already at the door. He grabbed his jacket and headed out. "Should we worry about them? Being in the air?"

"_Unfortunately, I'm not really sure_."

The elevator was taking too long. "Well, most of my people were in an underground military base when the horses attacked there, and they still got in. I have a feeling they can go just about anywhere they want."

"_I should have guessed that_," David agreed. "_Both pilots are believers, so they shouldn't be in danger of crashing, but I would still start praying if I were you_."

The elevator finally opened, and Jack ran out the front door of the building to his truck. Usually they walked to places as close as the park, but he wanted to get there a lot faster than that; the horses were much closer now. "Will do--on the run. I'm going to get Sara and Gavin right now."

"_Good. Keep me posted. I'll be here. But I should go now. Apparently I'm needed here by some rather upset officials_."

Jack snorted. "Have fun with _that_. Later."

In a little over a minute he was at the park, and he behind him he could see the horses bearing down at the city. There was already smoke rising from the far side. He also saw Sara discretely trying to get Gavin off of the playground equipment. He walked over as quickly as he could while still appearing to be acting normal, and pulled his son off the bars.

"Come on, buddy. Playtime's over."

Gavin squirmed in his arms. "I want play more."

"Jack! Thank goodness," Sara sighed quietly in relief.

Jack swung the boy up on his shoulders. "Why don't we go play a game at home?"

"No work?" Gavin asked, leaning curiously over his head as he was carried back to the truck.

"No, I don't have any work to do right now."

Sara pulled him down when they got to the truck, and strapped him into his seat before getting in beside him in the back. Jack jumped in the driver's seat and pulled out--to be greeted with the sight of the horses rampaging the streets just a block or so away, between them and their apartment.

"How did that happen?" Sara voiced incredulously

"Crap…they move fast. They don't have to move in a straight line. They can jump and go other places and….stuff. I don't know."

She gripped the edge of his seat from behind. "What are we going to do now?"

It was now that others in the park were beginning to notice the smoke rising from nearby, as well as the fires, and probably the smell of the sulfer.

And they were panicking.

Jack glanced back at the suddenly frightened small crowd in the park, and the semi-chaos in front of them. Home was just a little over a mile away, and supposedly they couldn't be hurt by these plagues…

"We're going through. Hold on. Things might get rough."

And he floored it before any of the other citizens fleeing into their vehicles could cut him off. Sara gripped his seat harder as she was flung back.

"Jack!"

They had barely gone half a mile before suddenly the smoke was too black and thick to see anything at all but the ghostly shapes of the huge horses running through it, snorting out more. They could hear the screams of dying people. Jack slowed the truck to a stop quickly. After jerking forward from the stop, Sara pulled Gavin from his car seat and held him tight in her lap, covering his ears.

Jack glanced back at them worriedly. "Just hold on…it'll clear."

But it didn't. They sat for five minutes, but the smoke remained as thick as it had been since they'd stop. He had to remind himself that it wasn't normal smoke. But it still made him restless. He knew where the road was, and where home was…he could still get them home, without risking a crash. He started to press the gas pedal, ever so gently.

Sara noticed immediately "Jack, what are you doing?" she snapped.

"I'm getting us home."

"But--"

"Sara, just trust me."

She stopped talking, but looked at him in the rearview mirror anxiously. Jack inched forward, taking advantage of what little visibility there was. Things went much smoothly than he'd hoped, except for the not being able to see much part, and the visibility improved some. Gaining confidence, he picked up speed.

**"Stop!"**

Jack jerked, and stopped. "What the--?"

**"Veer left."**

He looked to his right, and there was a man in a white robe sitting in the passenger's seat next to him. "Yah! What--?!"

"Jack, what wrong??" Sara asked worriedly. Gavin was squirming as if he sensed something, but she wouldn't let go of him.

Jack looked from the man, to his wife, to the man, to his wife. "There's a--don't you see…?"

She frowned. "See what?"

He looked at the man again, who was looking at him with what almost seemed like a small smile. Was it? "You don't see anybody else in here?"

"No…are you all right, Jack?"

He swallowed. "Uh….yeah. I'm fine." He looked at the man again, questioning.

**"Only you can see and hear me right now, but that is the way it must be. Now veer left. Sharply at first"**

"But there's only one turn between home and the park, and we already took it. There's no turn here."

"Jack?"

**"I know, Jack O'Neill. But you must veer left."**

"But I'll run into the buildings!"

**"Oh ye of little faith. Can you not trust a message from your Lord?"**

Jack blinked in shock. "Uhm…okay…but why is He telling me to swing left? What does He have to do with my driving? Is something going on here I don't know about?"

The angel--and he _was_ pretty sure it was an angel now--actually smiled this time. **"There are always things of which you are not aware."**

"Oh…kay."

Sara was getting impatient. "Jack! Who are you talking to?"

He looked back at her. "A little hard to explain, sweetheart. Just hold on, ok?"

She looked at him strangely, but something made her listen to him. She just sat back and waited.

**"You must start driving again, and you must veer left."**

Jack sighed and gripped the steering wheel again. "Okay…if you say so. Okay… God wants me to swing left. So I'll swing left." In the rearview mirror, he saw that Gavin had wiggled free of his mother's grip enough to turn around, and he was staring forward wide-eyed.

He veered left sharply, but carefully, half expecting to slam into a wall at any moment, but he soon discovered that he'd been in an intersection. There were no buildings immediately around them. He straightened out and kept going, wondering what that had been all about. But when he turned to the angel, the passenger's seat was empty.

Jack heaved a sigh, and minutes later he pulled into their apartment building's parking lot. Neither Sara nor Gavin had said a word the rest of the way here. They seemed to have realized who jack had been talking to. They climbed out silently after him, and together they glanced back the way they had come. The smoke was clearing.

And he saw a building that had collapsed right into the middle of the intersection.

He had picked up speed considerably just before being stopped--just before getting to where that collapsed building was.

Sara stared where he was looking, standing as close as it seemed she could. "That building…if you had kept going at that speed, we would have run right into it. It would have at least killed _you_ for sure," she breathed.

"Daniel always did tell me I drove too fast a lot," Jack swallowed.

He'd wondered why the Lord would send an angel over something so seemingly inconsequential. Now he understood that it hadn't been inconsequential at all.

* * *

By the time the horses left New Babylon, dozens were dead--not as bad a death toll or damage report as other places, but bad enough. It was already being reported that hundreds of thousands were dead worldwide. And it wasn't even over.

Inside the safety of their apartment, Jack switched on the television to see what the latest GC lie about the origins of these events was. Instead, he heard that Nicolae Carpathia himself would soon be appearing to address the world via, TV, radio, and internet. Quickly, he called Daniel back so he could infirm everyone in Colorado, and sat down with Sara to see what the Antichrist had to say.

* * *

Vala was, indeed, back soon, in time to be there when Jack called _again_. When Daniel hung up, she turned on the television. As they sat together waiting for Carpathia to come on, Carolyn burst in with her father in tow.

"We heard Carpathia was going to be on TV trying to explain this or something."

"You heard right," Vala nodded.

Daniel smirked. "He's going to try." He and Vala pulled up their legs so there was more room to sit on the bed, incase the couch wasn't close enough for them. They chose the couch anyway, but in the end, the space was needed when Sam, Siler, and Reynolds straggled in a few minutes later. Daniel took the opportunity of them all together to let them know about Jack hearing from his clone. All were rather surprised, but just as he had, wanted to know more as soon as he got anymore news.

They didn't have to wait much longer for the Potentate himself. Carpathia looked out at the audience solemnly, putting on his usual mask of actually caring, and began to assure the horrified populace.

"The situation will soon be under control. We have mobilized every resource. Meanwhile, I ask citizens of the Global Community to report suspicious activity, particularly the manufacture or transport of noxious agents. Sadly, we have reason to believe that this massacre of innocent lives in being perpetrated by religious dissidents to whom we have extended every courtesy. Though they cross us at every turn, we have defended their right to dissent. Yet they continue to see the Global Community as an enemy. They feel they have a right to maintain an intolerant, close-minded cult that excludes anyone who disagrees."

(All monologue from the television taken directly from Carpathia TV speech from "Assassins", the sixth book in the _Left Behind_ novel series by Jerry B Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.)

Vala snorted disdainfully. "Oh, great. Now we're a close-minded cult. What next?"

"Anything he wants to make the rest of the world believe we are," Daniel sighed, shaking his head.

Carpathia continued. "You have the right to live healthy, peaceful, and free. While I shall remain always a pacifist, I pledge to rid the world of this cult, beginning with the Jerusalem Twosome, who even now express no remorse about the widespread loss of life that had resulted from this attack." Apparently that was his new name for the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall.

Sam shook her head. "I have a feeling we're all going to have to pray for forgiveness for being happy when this guy gets killed--even if it's not permanent the first time."

Daniel, Vala, Reynolds, Siler, and Carolyn all echoed her sentiments. General landry glanced at them all for a moment, seeming to agree as well, before turning back to the TV as Carpathia turned on a screen which showed the current footage from the Wailing Wall, where Eli and Moishe were calling out in unison. Their words were also scrolled across the screen.

Woe to the enemies of the most high God! Woes to the cowards who shake their fist at their creator and are now forced to flee his wrath! We beseech you, snakes and vipers, to see even this plague as more than a judgment! Yea, it is yet another attempt to reach you by a loving God who has run out of patience. There is no more time to woo you. You must hearken to his call, see that it is he who loves you. Turn to the God of your fathers while there is still time. For the day will come when time shall be no more!"

Carpathia came back into view and switched off the screen again.

"The day will come, my friends, when these two shall no longer disseminate their venom. They shall no longer turn water to blood, hold back rain from the clouds, send plagues to the Holy Land and the rest of the globe. I upheld my end of the bargain negotiated with them months ago, allowing certain dissidents to go unpunished. Here is my reward. Here is how we are repaid for our largesse."

But, of course, there had never really been a bargain. During the cold, dark judgment months ago, Carpathia had allowed the dissidents to go free, and travel freely for a time, while simply assuming that the witnesses would comply with what he asked for in return--that they stop what they were doing.

And the Potentate was still talking. "But the gift train stops here, loyal citizens. Your patience and steadfastness shall be recompensed. The day will yet come when we live as one world, one faith, one family of man. We shall live in a utopia of peace and harmony with no more war, no more bloodshed, no more death. In the meantime, please accept my deepest personal condolences over the loss of your loved ones. They shall not have died in vain. Continue to trust in the ideals of the Global Community, in the tenets of peace, and in the genius of an all-inclusive faith that welcomes the devout of any religion, even that of those who now oppose us.

"Just four months from now we shall celebrate in the very city where the preachers now taunt and warn us. We shall applaud their demise and revel in a future without disease and suffering and death. Keep the faith, and look forward to that day. And until I address you again, thank you for your loyal support of the Global Community."

"You're welcome," Reynolds smirked, as Vala turned off the television again.

Siler looked a little confused. "What did he mean about four months from now? What happens then?"

Landry sat forward. "Haven't you heard about the big Global Community Gala in Jerusalem? It's right at the midpoint of this Tribulation we're in, if I'm right. Not that I'm an expert after one day or anything."

"Ohhh….that thing. Right. I've heard it mentioned here and there, but there aren't a lot of details out yet, so I forgot for a while there."

Carolyn's eyes rolled as she stood. "Is remembering some big Carpathia thing really all that important?"

"It might be. Remember when it is," Sam pointed out.

"Will we still be here then?" Landry asked. He'd been filled in on the plan.

Daniel sat up, carefully. "We're not sure. Probably. The Antichrist's mark isn't supposed to come into play until _after_ the midpoint, so we'll have a little time before we need to get out. We just have to watch and be careful. But it'll be easier now, since you're with us, and we don't have to find an excuse to use the 'gate quickly to alert the Tok'ra that they need to come."

Landry looked at him. "But now that I'm in the loop, do you need them to bring ships at all? I could order the 'gate to be opened for us all to leave."

"True, but the families of all SGC personnel who are believers are also coming, and we wouldn't be able to explain bringing them all here quickly enough for us to get out before we were stopped by The Powers That Be, unfortunately."

"Well, that's true…I forgot that part."

"It's all right sir. It was a good thought," Reynolds shrugged.

* * *

Later that night, Jack got another shot at the computer. He put Gavin down to sleep, kissed Sara goodnight, and told her he had some work to do. Then he retreated to his home office, closing the door behind him and discretely locking it. He brought up the instant messaging program again, and signed it successfully this time. Amazingly, the one person he was looking for was online.

A window popped up before he could even click on the name, with the typed words: _Took you long enough_.

Jack typed back, raising an eyebrow. _Hey, those horse things just attacked New Babylon, and I happen to live there. I was a little busy, thank you very much._

_Yeah, I know,_ came the answer. _I live here too_.

_What???_

_If you're gonna act like that, at least turn on the webcam so we can actually talk._

_Fine, but we've gotta keep it down. Don't wanna wake the wife and kid--they don't know about any of this stuff to do with the 'gate and all._

_Wife and kid???_

_Like you said, turn on the webcam._

Jack plugged in a headset to minimize the noise, and a moment later another window popped up with a video display showing a face he remembered well enough.

It was him at 21, wearing a Peacekeeper's fatigues, and sitting in front of the background of the living room of an apartment much like his own, but smaller.

"Hey," his double smirked snarkily.

Jack's eyebrows went up. "Ah…hi. What's up?"

"Not much. You?"

"Same…except for the whole talking to myself again thing."

"Yeah. There's that."

Jack sat up, almost self-consciously. "Okay, there's one thing we've got to handle first. What do people call you these days? I've got to have some kind of other name or something, because otherwise this is just going to get confusing."

His other self sat up in response. "Fair enough. Jon. That's what I go by. And no 'h', mind you."

"Of _course_ not."

"Anyway, that's what you can call me. Jack all right with you?"

"It's my name, isn't it?"

The other O'Neill…no, Jon….rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So what's this about a wife and son?"

"Ah ah. I asked first. What are you doing in New Babylon?"

Jon looked down at himself. "Isn't it obvious? I'm stationed here."

"More specific, please."

"Fine. I just finished the Air Force Academy at the end of the last school year they managed to finish up--I could have done it a lot sooner, but I decided to stay only _one _year ahead--and then enlisted in Global Community forces, and became a Peacekeeper--since there aren't a whole lot of other options anymore. At the time, I _was_ beginning to get a little--okay, a lot--disillusioned with Carpathia, but I didn't have a lot of choice. So I just joined, figuring I could do something else later if it didn't work for me. Then I met this little group of guys over here who told me the truth."

"You found more believers in New Babylon?" Jack asked incredulously.

Jon shrugged. "This is more like a suburb, but sure. I did. There's a small underground church over here. If I hadn't found them--or, really, they hadn't found me--I wouldn't be a believer right now. I have been for about a month, and I knew you were here, once I looked you up. As high up as you were, you weren't hard to find. Finally decided I couldn't wait any longer, and e-mailed you."

Jack shook his head. "Huh. And I had no idea. How long have you been stationed here?"

"About six months. So now for the answer to _my_ question. And I'd like to know how Daniel, Carter, and Teal'c are, too, if you don't mind."

He took a deep breath. "Well…first off…I might as well get it out of the way…"

"What?" Jon frowned, obviously worried.

Jack grimaced. "Teal'c's….gone. It was back during the war. I'm sorry."

"What? No….crap…" Jon's head dropped for a moment, and Jack just gave him a moment, feeling some of the pain himself. He still missed his old friend. After a moment, the younger version of himself looked up again, seeming a little shaken. "Let me guess? He went out doing something big and heroic and probably stupid too, huh?"

Jack smiled sadly. "As always."

"Yeah…" Jon sighed. Then he visibly collected himself, and looked straight out again. "So…what about Carter and Daniel?"

"They're fine. They're both married now, too."

Jon managed to chuckled some. "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. Not a bit."

"Then who…" he trailed off and stared at Jack wide-eyed. "Wait. Did you and Carter--?"

"No," he assured him quickly. "It wasn't me." It was, however, fun to keep him still guessing.

"Then who did _you _marry? And what about Carter and Daniel? Oh for crying out loud they didn't marry each other, did they?"

Jack couldn't help but burst out laughing, but he quickly quieted himself. "Wow, no, not that," he laughed, still chuckling hard silently.

Jon's arms crossed in annoyance. "Then would you mind telling me what's going on?"

"Sorry…sorry," jack sighed, composing himself. "Sorry. Anyway, I don't think you would know either of their spouses. Daniel married Vala, who's from off-world."

"Of course."

"--And she didn't show up for the first time until a year or so after you uh…left. And Sam--"

"On a first-name basis now, are you?"

"Well hey, we're both married to _other people_ now, so the whole discomfort thing is gone, and besides--In case you haven't noticed, being brothers and sisters in Christ brings people closer to together."

Jon shrugged. "Okay, fine, sorry. Go on. Who'd carter get hitched too?"

"Actually, it's Dockett now. She married the preacher."

"The _what_?"

"Yeah. The church near the mountain you, me, we…whatever…passed on the way to the mountain every day, was pastured by none other than one Simon Dockett, but he apparently wasn't genuine. He was left behind with the rest of us, and that's the church Sam and Daniel picked when they went looking for answers after the rapture happened and they'd figured out that it wasn't anything else. He was preaching, they both got saved, and anyway eventually she married him, just after the earthquake."

Jon shook his head. "Amazing. And I thought neither one of them would ever get married off. So what about you?"

"Me? Uhm…" And this was where things got uncomfortable again. "I uh…well, things were so different for me after I got saved and all…you should know what it feels like, to be a new man. A lot changed."

"And….?"

"And…I remarried Sara." There wasn't really a better way to say it.

Jon fell silent, and stared at him for a moment. Finally he spoke, quietly. "Huh…really?"

"Yeah. I don't want there to be any hard feelings or anything, so I wasn't gonna lie to you, so…."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. That's fine. I mean…I'm just surprise. Not angry or anything. That would be stupid. I mean, come on, I've got my own girl over here on my side of town. Been going out almost since I got here. She's great, and got saved last week, too. I'm thinking about asking her to marry me after we get outta New Babylon after the mark thing starts and all…" He was speaking quickly, as if just to get it all out, but yet he didn't seem insincere.

Jack grabbed onto the chance to keep conversation going. "A girl? Really? What's she like?"

Jack and Jon talked long into the night, and things smoothed out just fine. They caught up on things that had happened to both of them since they'd last seen each other in front of that high school in Colorado, and they only stopped talking when Sara knocked on the office door, asking when Jack was coming to bed. Thankfully, she hadn't caught any of the conversation, he later discovered to his relief when he climbed into bed to sleep a few minutes later.

"Well, gotta run. The wife calls," Jack smiled, whispering just in case once Sara was gone again.

Jon nodded. "All right. If we can't get together sometimes, then I'll talk to you later. It's been fun," he grinned. "Keep in touch."

"Don't worry; I will now," Jack assured him.


	45. Family Issues

Hey ya'll. Sorry it's been over a week, and this chapter is so short...But things are crazy what with Christmas vacation coming soon, so...Well, anyway, sorry. I hope you still enjoy this chapter. :) The next chapter will follow up on this situation presented toward the end, but the chapter after that will be a Christmas chapter, which will be the last chapter I post before going on Christmas vacation, which be a couple of weeks--just so you guys know and don't freak out. :)

So now that you know that, read and enjoy. This is pretty much just a fluffy chapter, in a way, but I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think! Thanks! hugs

Chapter 45

Sam shook her head in amazement. "So he's been right there in New Babylon recently? It really is a small world."

Daniel chuckled and forked in a bite of the remains of his lunch. "That's what Jack said when he called," he said once he'd finished chewing. Across the commissary table from him, Sam was finishing up as well. The room was already starting to clear out.

"Well…" She sighed, not appearing to really know what to say next. "I'm just glad he's ok--Jon, I mean. That's what he said he's calling himself now, right?" Daniel nodded. "Anyway, like I said, I'm glad to here he's still out there--and one of us. Of course what's left of the Air Force these days still keeps tabs on him, I guess, but they don't give us that information. We didn't even know if he was still alive until now."

"Yeah…" Daniel agreed. He trailed off, his mind not quite still with her. He'd been just as overjoyed as she had to here that Jon, as he was called, was a brother in Christ, but his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

Sam looked at him after a moment. "Are you okay?"

He started at glanced at her. "Huh? Oh…yeah."

She raised an eyebrow. "No, you're not."

"What?"

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Daniel, you've been doing that of and on for weeks. When you're not worrying about whatever disaster is happening at the moment, you're worrying about something else--but I have yet to figure out what."

Daniel felt himself flush just a bit. "It's nothing I need to bother you about."

"That's ridiculous. You know I'm always here. What's up?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine. I've just been thinking."

"About what?" she pressed gently."

"Sam--"

She wagged a finger at him, scolding. "Daniel Jackson, since when in the last three years have we had secrets? If something bothering you, you let the rest of us know. Or at least _someone._"

He grimaced. "You make it sound like it's a big thing I'm 'hiding', per se. It's really not, in the grand scheme of things. And I'm nothing 'hiding' anything. It's just…it's just something between me and Vala."

Sam looked concerned now. "Are you having problems?"

"No, no, nothing like that--not really."

"Then what is it? Come on, from married person to married person--friend to friend. What's going on?"

Daniel looked at the silent plea in her eyes, and sighed, unable to deny her any longer. He knew she only wanted to help.

"It's nothing really worrying, it's…" he trailed off again, wondering where to start. Finally he came back with a question. "Sam…have you and Simon ever discussed having children?"

Sam smiled in what seemed to be relief. "Ah…….I see. That."

"I take it you're not surprised I asked?"

"Nope. I guess I should have been expecting it, really. And…Yes, Simon and I have talked about it some. But that doesn't really answer your question, does it?"

Daniel had to smile as he shook his head. "Not really, no."

She nodded. "So…what's the problem, exactly?"

Daniel sighed. "She wants to. It's not that I _don't_--because, really, I guess I sort of do--but right now…It's so dangerous, especially with the midpoint so close. And after that, it could be even worse, depending on how safe where we end up turns out to be. We'll already have Gavin to watch out for. I'm not sure I want to--or have the _right_ to--put another child into that situation, being in the run."

"I know what you mean. Simon and I talked about similar things. And of course things are always subject to change, but…If you're curious, which I have no doubt you are, I don't mind telling you that right now we're content with having Jenny around. If something else happens…." she shrugged. "We won't protest. I'd love to have a child. But it's not really up to us, is it?"

"No. That's true. But it's just that Vala's been…a little pushy, lately. Politely pushy, if you believe that of her. But pushy still. I don't know what to tell her. I've kind of been avoiding the subject," Daniel admitted sheepishly.

Sam looked at him kindly. "I can't make the call for you."

"I know," he answered immediately. "I wasn't asking you to. I guess I've just been thinking about asking you for some insight."

"And now you have. Does it help any?"

He laughed lightly. "A little," he told her truthfully.

She nodded and stood, picking up her tray. "Good. Because I've got to leave early. Shane gets out of the hospital today, and with nowhere else to go at the moment, he'll be staying with us at least until he's done healing. We insisted. Simon and Jenny are carting him home right now, and I promised I'd be home when they got there."

Daniel stood with her. "I guess that's a good thing. Being a new believer, it'll be good for him to spend a few days in a preacher's house," he smiled teasingly. "He'll learn a lot."

Sam smirked and left to return her tray.

* * *

When Sam pulled into the driveway at home, Simon and Jenny were just helping Shane out of Simon's car. When she got out of her own car, Shane raised a hand part way and gave something of a wave--what he could do with someone holding him up by either arm.

"Hey, Mrs.D!" he called.

Sam raised an eyebrow and smiled as she approached. "That's new."

The young man shrugged. "Hey, it worked with a 'C' on _Happy Days_."

"I think he's still a little doped up," Jenny laughed. Simon just smiled and helped Shane toward the house.

"My maiden name is a C. Carter," Sam pointed out to Shane jokingly.

"Then maybe I should just call you Mrs.C," he teased. They had only met a few short times: when he had first shown up, looking for Jenny, and then in the hospital after he had become a believer. But with the camaraderie he was beginning to get a hold of now that he was one of them, it already seemed that they had known the young man for much longer.

"Or not," Sam smirked.

He gave a look that would have been a shrug if he had control of his own arms at the moment. "But anyway, again…thank you so much for helping me out here. I told you that my dad's the only family I have left around, and he's not happy with me right now what with the whole deciding to quit school thing, because he doesn't understand…."

"Well, you're more than welcome," Simon assured him.

Once they were in the door, Jenny handed her arm off to Sam, and ran ahead. "I'll make sure the bed's ready."

Shane watched her go. "Where am I staying?"

"Her room; we only have two bedrooms. But she's assured me that she doesn't mind sleeping in the living room for awhile. And the couch folds out into a bed anyway."

"I don't want to kick her out of her room," he protested.

Simon shrugged. "She volunteered it. Originally you were going to be in the living room, but she thought you should have a better bed to recuperate in."

Jenny was at the door to her room when they got there. "Everything's fine. Go on in."

Shane was shaking his head. "Jen, what am I going to do with you?" he complained good-naturedly, just before cutting off in a grimace when Sam and Simon lowered him to the bed.

Jenny frowned. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"I would have thought they would have kept you longer than a few days--a very few days," Sam shrugged.

"Too many patients. They were letting people go as soon as they could," Shane explained. "They needed the room."

Simon excused himself after a moment, confessing that he still had quite a bit of work to do on his sermon for Sunday. Sam and Jenny stayed. Sam sat down in the desk chair.

"So…you're sure you're not going back to school?" she asked, curious.

Shane gave a little bit of a shrug. "Well, before it was because I didn't want to run into Jeremy again, and now that I know how little time we have, it just seems pointless. I haven't been back since the accident, though I haven't _officially_ quite, no, but…I doubt I could ever catch up anyway, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Maybe not," Sam conceded. "But then again, maybe it does."

Jenny sat up, seeming to already be catching on. Bright girl. "What about everyone back at your school?"

Shane looked at them for a moment. Then he sighed. "I know what you mean. But really...I saw proof of how dangerous it can be to be a Christian these days, and if what you've been telling me is right, it'll just get a whole lot worse really soon. I can't go back to school. Knowing Jeremy, he'll make it his business to find out if I 'bought into' what your brother and sister were trying to tell us that day, Jenny. If he finds any hint at all that I have, he'll turns me in for treason, or _something_."

"We're not saying you 'should' go back. Just that you shouldn't rule it out. You should listen to what God wants you to do--not us," Sam told him gently.

"Right…"

* * *

The moment Daniel got home that afternoon he'd waited too long to discuss things with Vala. He'd been a little suspicious when she'd left the base earlier than usual. His fears were confirmed when he arrived to find dinner already made and waiting. That never happened. Whenever she cooked, it was always late because she didn't start until they both got home. Not only that, but there was more than usual, and it appeared to have have taken a lot more effort than what she usually made--simpler meals, namely.

This was not simple.

Vala flew out at him from the kitchen, and he almost had to pry her off to be able to even say hello. He looked at her and shook his head.

"What?" she asked innocently. "Can't I go overboard because I feel like it once in a while?"

Daniel sighed. "There's nothing wrong with that is itself, but this is not just because you feel like it."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play innocent with me. Listen…I know what you're doing, and we need to talk," he said gently, pulling her toward the couch.

"About what?" she protested indignantly.

He looked at her hard. "You know what." She stared him down for another moment, before relenting and sinking to the couch.

"What?" she huffed.

"Vala…don't get upset with me…"

She glared at him. "Why not? You don't want to have children!"

"It's _not_ that I don't want to," he stressed. "But it's too dangerous right now--"

"It's going to be dangerous to do anything for the rest of the time we have," she pointed out. "But Jack and Sara have a son. So do Buck and Chloe."

"Neither of those instances were planned," Daniel reminded her dryly.

"And if you had remained oblivious to my purposes, neither would ours," she shot back cheekily.

Daniel puffed out a breath. "Vala, listen to me. Of all the times during the tribulation be having a child, we're coming up on the worst one."

Vala looked at him and crossed her arms. "What about _after_ the midpoint? When we're off Earth? Would it be safer then?"

He hesitated for a moment, thinking, and then nodded slowly. "Probably…but not necessarily. We'll have to wait and see."

"We can't wait forever! We don't know if we'll be able to have children at all once the Millennial Kingdom starts," she pouted.

"I _know_ that, Vala," he sighed. "Look, I promise that if it seems safe enough once we're moved then we can try. I want to. But we just have to think about the circumstances, too, is all."

That seemed to placate her for the moment, so she sighed and pulled herself over to sit on his lap. "All right…I suppose that will do for now. But you're not off the hook yet, mister. You'll definitely be hearing from me once we're off this little planet."

Daniel smiled in relief. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now come on; we shouldn't let that dinner you made go to waste."

She stood, pulling him to his feet with her. "Oh, of course, _now_ you're interested in it," she laughed.

"Priorities first," Daniel joked. "But seriously. I'm starving."

Vala grinned and pulled him toward the dining room.

* * *

Only a few short hours later, it was morning in New Babylon. Jack was up first, starting the coffee machine for Sara and himself. Not much later, Gavin padded into the kitchen from his room.

"Daddy?"

Jack turned and shushed him. "Mommy's sleeping," he told the boy quietly.

"Sorry," he answered sheepishly, but more quietly.

"What are you doing up so early, buddy?"

Gavin crossed him arms. "Couldn't sleep, daddy."

Jack sat down at one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Why not? Is something wrong?"

The boy shook his head and crawled up into his father's lap. "I dreamed 'bout the man."

"What man?" Jack frowned.

"Man in your truck," Gavin said matter-of-factly.

He looked at his son curiously. "The man in my truck when?"

"When horsies come."

Jack stared at him. "You saw the man?"

"Angel," Gavin corrected. "It was angel. He help you."

Jack just continued to stare at his son. Supposedly he had been to the only one to be able to see and hear the angel, but then again…did that apply to children? Was there something special about those so young?

"Daddy okay?"

He shook his head and smiled. "Yeah…sorry, Gavin, yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't know you'd seen the man--angel--too."

The boy smiled in triumph. "I see his friends too."

Jack blinked. "Friends?"

Gavin nodded vigorously. "Man have lots of friends--friends with wings."

_That_ was new. Had there been other angels that Jack hadn't seen either. He swallowed. "Where were the angel's friends?"

"They all around truck, daddy. They keep us safe. God always keep us safe."

* * *

Jack was still shaking his head to himself in amazement by the time he got to work later that morning--what God could do! It put him in such a euphoric mood that he didn't even start to come down until he got to his office, where a memo waited for him--informing him that Potentate Carpathia wanted to see him.

That brought him crashing down immediately.

He didn't even have the excuse of driving across New Babylon to put it off. This time, when the city had been rebuilt, the Homeworld Security offices had been assigned space inside the new palace. Which meant that he was already there. All he had to do was walk the near half mile from their section of the outskirts of the huge fortress to Carpathia's offices in the center.

Wonderful.

Maybe if he walked real slow…

Jack shook his head and headed back out there door, flashed the memo at his secretary--some new woman assigned by the GC, not a believer or anyone he really knew--and started for the central palace. Not wanting to appear suspicious he didn't follow through on walking slowly. He got there as quickly as would be expected--maybe even a little faster.

When he arrived, Carpathia's secretary ushered him in immediately, almost impatiently, and Jack had to shake off disgust and déjà vu as Carpathia approached him and asked him cordially--though perhaps also a little impatiently--to sit. He wasn't as falsely warm and inviting these days as he had been in the beginning. Jack didn't have to be around him nearly as much as Mac and Abdullah and one or two of the others, but even he knew that. Anyone who's opinion wasn't tainted by a mindless love for the man, their 'leader', could see it.

"Potentate, sir…uhm…what is it you wanted to see me about?"

Carpathia sat behind his desk again. "Ah, yes. Thank you for coming quickly--unlike much of my staff these days."

Luckily, the potentate still liked him. That could in handy when it came time to "Right. So…what's up?

"Well, I am certain that by now you know of the Global Community Gala in Jerusalem that is approaching in a very few months?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

Carpathia sat back, steepling his fingers. "I have decided to visit out friend on Dakara, in the Jaffa High Council. Doubtlessly, if they hear about this, they will not want to miss out6 on the fun. I am arranging a way for them to enjoy the gala as well, and I plan to inform them of it myself."

"Ah. Okay…what way might that be?"

"The events will of course be recorded by video as they are broadcast to the world. As this happens, I propose that periodically the stargate be opened and the next segment of the broadcast be beamed through to equipment compatible with our video technology that we will bring and set up for them at a later date. That way, the gala can be extended to the city around the stargate on Dakara for anyone not on Earth that wishes to attend."

Jack just looked at him.

"Genius, no?"

"Of course, Potentate. Genius. Sure…so why tell me? Am I coming?"

Carpathia shook his head. "I would bring you along, but you will have much related to this that I will need you to assist in arranging from here. No, I called you here to discuss something else related with you."

"Like what?" he asked, a little disappointed.

"I would like you to make a request of your former team for me."

Jack raised an eyebrow and sat up more, both curious and anxious at the same time. "Oh?"

Carpathia nodded. "Indeed. I have only seen or spoke to any of them briefly, while at Stargate Command on an errand through the stargate. I wish to change that, if I might. Now, I respect them because of who they are and what they have done for this planet in the past, so I will not force it on them--though I don't see any reason at all why they would refuse--but I wish to offer them the opportunity to accompany me as my entourage on this trip."

Jack recoiled in horror inwardly. "Uhm…that's great. Sure, I'll…ask them."

"Wonderful! That is all then. And please do do that quickly. I leave for Colorado in two days."

"Yes sir," he nodded, standing. "I guess I should go then."

"Yes. You should. Don't let me keep you here. I will speak with you later once you have contacted them."

Jack nodded and ducked out as quickly as he could, but he couldn't allow himself to look upset until he was locked in the relative safety of his own office.

Wonderful, Carpathia said….Great. How was he supposed to tell his friends that the devil wanted to come play?


	46. Last Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody! In case I don't get another chapter posted before. I left a little off th tail-end of the Christmas part just in case I do. But this is basically the Christmas chapter--after the conclusion of what was appening at the end of chapter 45. So anyway, I hope you like it, and Ican't wait to read your reviews; tell me what ya think! ;) hugs Thanks ya'll!

Chapter 46

None of SG-1 _liked_ the idea of being around Carpathia for any length of time, much less going anywhere with him, but something told them that they should accept the invitation anyway--if only for strategic reasons. Besides, no matter how much the Potentate sugar-coated things, they knew he would probably force the issue anyway if they didn't agree.

That left all four of them--and their other believer friends at the SGC, not to mention Jack in New Babylon--anxious for the two days until it came time for the trip with the man who would be possessed by the devil himself in less than four months. The fact that Thanksgiving was the next week didn't help much. They didn't feel very festive.

When the day came, SG-1 was lined up in the 'gate room, where they'd been told they should wait for the Potentate to be escorted down to the SGC.

Vala leaned closer to her husband.

"Remind me why we agreed to this again," she asked out of the corner of her mouth.

Daniel chuckled. "One, to avoid any further suspicion than we may have already garnered. Two, to gain any information about Carpathia's plan that we possibly could. And three, because we never _really_ had a choice in the first place.

She sighed. "Right. Wonderful."

Sam glanced over at them and shrugged. "What's just as annoying to me is that it _is _us going with him, and he can't sneak up to the surface and meet Mac and Abdullah. They're up there somewhere, probably with the helicopter they took from the airport."

Reynolds shook his head. "Sacrifices," he said with some humor. But all four of them were silenced when the large 'gate room doors slid open, and a decent-sized contingent of marines marched in--well, all right, peacekeepers; technically no-one was known by their country's original names for their armed forces anymore. Most, except new recruits since the Global Community had been formed, had been allowed to keep their uniform and fatigue styles, but they all wore the patch of the GC, just as they wore the patch of their country and, for those at Stargate Command, the SGC's patch. Sam and Reynolds no longer had an Air Force patch. Except for certain matters, the Air Force technically no longer existed.

The peacekeepers coming in now were obviously surrounding someone; the whole point of their standing here waiting. Carpathia.

SG-1 straightened, not to show deference, or fear, or respect as anyone else in the 'gate room did at that moment, but just to play the part they'd been assigned. They were now loyal citizen of the Global Community to anyone who asked. At least until Carpathia left the building.

The Potentate broke out of his payed crowd as they came to a stop, and approached SG-1, and General Landry, who was coming in behind them.

"Ah, General Landry. So nice to see you again in person." Was that sarcasm? Daniel didn't have time to analyze Carpathia's tone before he turned to them then, smiling again.

"And SG-1. It is good to meet you again. I trust you have been well?"

The four of them glanced at each other and gave half-muttered answers, not really sure what to say other than yes, sure, they'd been fine, and so on. He seemed satisfied with that, thank goodness.

"Wonderful, wonderful. And General O'Neill sends his regards, of course. Well than, shall we be going? I am eager to speak with the Jaffa council again after so long."

"Any time you're ready, Potentate," Reynolds nodded. Sam had been more than happy to let him be in charge on this one, if order was needed.

Carpathia nodded, falsely jubilant as ever. "Perfect. Have your people in your control room dial the stargate then, General Landry. We would like to be on our way."

Landry nodded tightly to him, and then up at the control room. The technician began the dialing sequence immediately.

* * *

"What are they expecting us to do for however many hours that he is in there?" Abdullah questioned Mac, looking curiously over at the entrance to the mountain. There were plenty of guards over there, but they were alone here, far off the parking lot on the chopper pad where Carpathia had left them. Apparently he trusted them enough to at least bring them here and allow them to stay with the bird--if not enough to bring them in with him. On the contrary, a contingent of peacekeepers had come out and escorted him in without saying a word to either pilot.

Mac shrugged. "We just sit here. Don't worry; I made a few of these flights with Ray. I still don't know what he does in there, but I do know they don't care what we do out here, as long we don't try to get in. There are plenty of woods around here, and it is Colorado. We could always take a walk or something. It's nice. Looks like a lot of it's grown back since the hail and fire stuff."

"True, but there is new damage from the horsemen," Abdullah pointed out.

"Well, whatever. It's a lot nicer than New Babylon."

The Jordonian shrugged. "That is a fact. I suppose we should, while we have a chance."

Mac glanced around. "Yeah…and if we're in the trees out of sight, it'll give us a chance to call the stateside Trib Force. They've been looking for an update from us anyway."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Abdullah nodded, unbuckling.

"Let's go then."

* * *

The entire Jaffa Council met them at the 'gate. It was only the five of them, SG-1 and Carpathia, and Sam could see Bra'tac and Ka'lel eyeing them in concerned curiosity. But they wouldn't be able to speak to each other until after the council meeting--possibly. They could only hope.

SG-1 stood by while Carpathia greeted the council members one by one, and then escorted him as the council allowed the Potentate to lead the way back to the council building. As the Potentate's escort, SG-1 was allowed in the council chamber, but they knew that as visitors they were to remain silent unless asked to speak.

The meeting was nothing special, to them, but the council--other than Bra'tac and Ka'lel--found it very important indeed. They loved Carpathia; idea of broadcasting the events of the Global Community Gala to Dakara as a place for those not on Earth to join in the festivities. The council also suggested adding at least one other world as a meeting place, and that they could forward the broadcasts. It didn't take long for Carpathia to agree to that. If fact, he approved adding two more worlds, and promised to have the earth-based equipment needed provided. He left it up to the Jaffa Council to decide which other worlds should receive the honor.

Apparently he wanted the entire galaxy to see him.

Not a surprise.

After the general meeting, Carpathia asked to speak with the head of the high council alone, supposedly to discuss further details, or some such nonsense. But it gave SG-1 a chance to talk to their friends.

Or one of them. Ka'lel slipped away before they could get to her. But Bra'tac was there in an instant, gripping Daniel's arms in greeting and nodding to them all.

"It is good to see you all," he said in earnest.

Daniel started to point after Ka'lel, but Bra'tac picked up on his meaning before he said anything. He lowered his voice and leaned close for a moment. "Do not worry about her, my friends. She has gone to see what she can gather from the conversation Carpathia is having as of now. She is skilled at such things."

Vala smiled. "My kind of woman," she commented conspiratorially.

Daniel just shook his head at her and answered Bra'tac. "As long as she's careful."

"She will not be found."

"Can I help?" Vala asked immediately.

"No," all three of her team members told her immediately. She crossed her arms and sulked.

Reynolds smiled. "We have to be on our best behavior here, remember? The last thing we need is for someone on the council to suspect us of something. That would get back to Earth pretty quickly."

Daniel looked at Bra'tac with concern. "How are you two doing in that arena anyway?"

Bra'tac gave him a reassuring slap on the back that almost made him stumble; such was the old jaffa first prime. "We are fine, Daniel. Certainly there are those on the council that dislike us, and those that may suspect something. But none of them have the evidence, or the 'guts', as you would say, to publicly accuse us of anything. After all, we are fellow council members." At that, the levity disappeared abruptly and he frowned.

"However, I fear that is all that protects us now. Among the common population, it is common for neighbor to accuse neighbor of not being loyal to Carpathia. Perhaps it is still not 'legal' on Earth for someone to be punished or killed simply for not agreeing with him, and that it will not be that way until after the midpoint of this Tribulation, but it is different here. Behind closed doors, the council orders the slaughter of whole villages evidenced to be followers of Christ. Carpathia perhaps does not know it--or perhaps he does--but the council and many jaffa are more loyal to him than any on your planet. They will make him a fierce intergalactic army when he has need of them to seize control of this universe."

SG-1 shifted uncomfortably. They'd already known some of this, but that didn't make it any easier to hear. At that moment, Ka'lel saved them from having to discuss it any more when she hurried up, out of breath and looking worried.

"We have more problems," she announced. She must have caught the end of Bra'tac's speech.

Sam grimaced. "What now?"

"I caught some of what they said. They are still talking, but I could not risk not being able to tell you before you left. They are not discussing what we did further at all. They speak of the future, of plans. Much of it we knew would happen, but still…we did not know that it was already being plotted."

"What's being plotted?" Daniel frowned.

"The mark of the beast," she answered wearily. "Or as they are calling it, a 'mark of loyalty' to be applied to the hand or forehead of all loyal to Carpathia. He plans to make a formal announcement about it sometime after the gala."

Vala sighed. "Wonderful. Is that all?"

"I do not believe so, but I could not gather anything else substantial--simply that, and the fact that along with the mark, of course, he plans to 'crack down' as he said more on the 'religious fanatics' on Earth and elsewhere. And…"

Bra'tac looked at her appraisingly. "What is it?"

"We now know for sure that the 'potentate' knows for certain about what the council has done to the believers out here. Carpathia was given a report from the council head, and was praising him for his accomplishments," Ka'lel answered bitterly.

There were one or two muffled gasps--probably from the other women, but Daniel couldn't be sure. "What else would you expect," he muttered angrily. Bra'tac only nodded sadly, as if he had expected that.

"I only wish we could do more," Sam said softly.

Ka'lel's expression softened a bit as she looked to the colonel. "You do all you can for us from your position. It is not your fault that it is not much. We help our own out here as well as we can. Do not put any of this on yourselves." She managed to smile some. "Do not worry; you will be able to do more soon enough."

Reynolds shook his head. "Never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to leaving Earth for good--for the rest of the Tribulation, anyway."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "The original Trib Force can take care of Earth; we can do some much more out here." He looked to Bra'tac and Ka'lel. "Do you know how you're getting out yet?" he all but whispered.

Bra'tac gave a small nod. "We have made arrangements."

"I think we should finalize ours," Sam observed. "The midpoint is around the time of the gala. Once that so-called celebration starts, we have no idea what might happen or how. I say we have a pick-up date arranged before then if at all possible."

"Definitely," Vala nodded. "We should have a couple of chances to visit our friends and get that done." Well, some of their friends. By now Skaara, Ashada, and Re'sha had to move to the settlement with the rest of the previous ascended, and it was the Tok'ra they needed to talk to.

It wasn't too much longer before Carpathia emerged again, and SG-1 had to separate from their jaffa allies to escort the enemy home.

* * *

Hank Landry waited anxiously in his office. He'd been informed that the Potentate would like to meet with him there when he returned from Dakara.

Sooner than he'd wanted, the door opened without warning. He glanced up, catching a glimpse of the bodyguards outside the office door before Carpathia closed it behind him.

"Potentate," he said in greeting, coming out from behind the desk. Carpathia didn't answer. His cordial manner from before had disappeared. "Is something wrong? Would you like a seat?"

"No thank you, general. I would rather stand. This will not take long."

"Ah…I see. What is it?"

Carpathia glared at him. "_I_ will ask the questions, general. For example: What progress have you made on the assignment I gave you _months_ ago?"

Landry didn't say anything at first. What was he supposed to say to that?

"I asked you a question, general! And if your answer happens to be 'nothing', then you can kiss your position farewell."

"I have infiltrated their group," he blurted out. It wasn't a lie. He'd joined it. But if he was going to keep his position--which he could use to help the other believers here for a little while longer yet--he needed to make it sound as if he was doing what Carpathia wanted.

Carpathia looked surprised. "You have?"

Hank nodded. "They think I'm one of them now--or close. They don't suspect a thing." Both of which were also true. Though he, in fact, _was_ one of them, of course.

"Ah." The Potentate seemed to calm down at that. "And are Samantha Dockett and her husband involved as we suspected?"

"It's…hard to tell," Hank answered evasively. "I've just recently begun to be involved with them."

"Is it comprised of those 'Christians'?"

He nodded after a moment. "It is, but I haven't seen any evidence of subversive activity being planned."

"Their entire existence is subversive," Carpathia grumbled. He looked at Landry hard. "Well, general, I suppose that because you _do_ seem to be trying, I will not institute reprimand as of yet, but I expect better results in the future--the near future."

"Of course, Potentate." And in his mind, his fingers were crossed like they'd never been crossed before.

* * *

What with the new information, at Thanksgiving SG-1 was thankful for being alive, and for being who they were, and being able to do what they did for the Lord.

Over the month after that, Jack kept in sporadic touch with Jon, and Gavin grew. Jenny's adoption went through more quickly than expected, thanks to Sam's connections with Jack, and from there to Carpathia. It almost seemed like an early Christmas present. They wouldn't have to worry about legalities messing anything up before they left.

Shane stayed with the Docketts; in another couple of weeks he was fully healed, but they let him stick around. Jenny was perfectly all right with sleeping on the couch for an extended period of time, as long as he was around. Though a few days after he was dubbed recovered, Shane finally convinced her to switch with him, so she could have her room back, and he wouldn't feel so intrusive.

He had also finally decided to go back to school for the little time they would have before becoming fugitives--after Christmas when the new semester began. Jenny was proud of him, as a new believer, for deciding to do that, as dangerous as it might turn out to be. Sam could tell that she was more than a little worried about him though, even though she had been one of those to get him thinking about it in the first place. The girl seemed to have developed something of a protectiveness for him, even if he was older than her by a couple of years or so.

All Sam could do was warn her to be careful about getting into relationships at a time like it was--to which Jenny, expectedly, brushed her off and assured her it was nothing like that and not to worry about her.

But Sam couldn't help but see her own story replayed. Only this time, they were too young to be married anyway, and it was much too close to the midpoint, too close to the time to leave for it to happen anyway. She'd told Jenny that they were leaving then, even if she couldn't say where, but she didn't know what else to do but hope that her adopted daughter wasn't hurt.

* * *

Christmas came fast.

Jack tried to get time off, but with the gala approaching faster, there wasn't enough extra time to be had. It would be another year without a tree--something they couldn't get in Iraq, unless they special-ordered a fake one. But it hardly seemed worth it, as soon as they were leaving. They would have a family Christmas at home, just him, Sara, and Gavin, the three of them, together.

It wasn't so bad, actually. But they missed their friends.

Gavin enjoyed himself thoroughly. He ripped the paper off of the gifts he found in front of the fake fireplace with enthusiasm, and didn't seem at all concerned that there weren't many of them. They wouldn't be able to take much with them when they left New Babylon, and they didn't want him to be any more upset that he probably would be already.

All things said, Jack was _not_ looking forward to making that transition with a two-year-old. He was sure Sara wouldn't be either, if she knew how far they were going. But until they were running for the states to the rendezvous point, he wouldn't be able to tell her. Until then, he would enjoy what they had here, together.

And as stressful as the time was then, waiting for the inevitable, somehow that Christmas--with Gavin's shrieks of laughter and Sara's wide smiles and soft chuckles, and just the feeling of being family…--it became a holiday that Jack knew he remember long after it was gone.

* * *

Things weren't much different in the states that Christmas.

There was a Christmas Eve service at the church, which was still a temporary building. Authorities were beginning to get after the small church board about getting a more permanent building in place, and registering the church as an official branch of the Enigma Babylon One-World Faith. Thankfully, they wouldn't have to hold them off much longer.

Families stayed together at home Christmas morning, enjoying the last 'normal' holiday they would have on Earth. It wasn't until that afternoon that the SG-1 Trib Force came together at Sam and Simon's house for a party. They couldn't skip the chance--or was it the excuse?--to throw a big one.

Except for the O'Neills being stuck in New Babylon, everyone came, bringing family and friends. Even Erin Satterfield made it, dragging with her a still stubborn Jennifer Hailey. There was food, there were party games, a gift exchange, and even a reading of the Christmas story, though many had done that the night before with their families.

It was Sam's idea. Daniel loved it, and he and vala helped her and Simon call the festivities to order. When everyone was quiet, Sam made her intentions clear, and no one was opposed, though Hailey--the only one there who wasn't a believer--looked a little uncomfortable. Well, good.

And then Sam promptly suggested that Daniel be the one to read it aloud.

He started, looking at her in surprise. "What? Oh…no, it's okay. You do it, Sam." He smirked good-naturedly. "Or let Simon do it; he's the preacher.

Simon just smiled and shook his head, and handed a Bible to Sam, who looked at her friend. "True, but still…"

"Still, what?"

"You figured it out first," Vala grinned, leaning into him.

Daniel shoved his hands into his jean pockets. "Not before Simon…"

"No, but you _were_ the first of _us_ to. Maybe I wasn't listening then, but I do know that."

"But I might not have gotten it if it weren't for Simon. Let him read it."

"Do you have a problem with being the one to read it?" Sam teased.

He shifted. "No…but he's in charge here."

Simon shook his head again. "No, I'm just the preacher here, at times. _God_ is in charge here. I merely serve him as you do. But as I understand it, it was you who led the movement at your base after the rapture."

Sam smiled softly and held out the Bible to him. "If it weren't for you, many of us--maybe all of us--wouldn't be here today. So we'd like you to do it."

Daniel glanced around and realized that everyone was looking at him expectantly, seeming to agree with Sam. At his silence, they all jumped in to encourage him.

"Yeah, you do it."

"Go ahead, Daniel!"

It made him smile sheepishly. He could almost hear Jack in the back of his head. _Come on, Danny-boy. Quit being humble for two seconds and read the story for crying out loud. We owe a lot to you._

He looked back at Sam. "Are you sure?"

She just handed him the Bible. Daniel looked down at in his hands, and then around at everyone else. "Well….thanks, guys."

General Landry called from the back, grinning. "What are you waiting for!"


	47. The Gala

Whew! Vacation is finally over, lol. And though that means back to school, it's still good, because it means that now I have time to write! Yay! I'm sorry I was away for so long, so here's an extra-longish chapter. I hope you enjoy it, and please do review so I know ya'll are all still there. ;) Thanks!

Chapter 47

As the Christmas story drew to a close and the party started again, Shane pulled Jenny off to side.

"What?" she asked, not knowing what he was up to.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong."

He looked at her appraisingly. "You can't give me that. I should know you well enough by now. Something's wrong. What is it?"

Jenny hesitated for several long seconds before wrapping her arms around him. "I'm worried about you."

Shane sighed and returned the embrace gently. "I think I could have figured that out on my own," he chuckled softly.

"Do you have to go?

"Yes. But really; you don't have to be worried. It'll be up to God when I go, you know. And I know he wants me to do this. If I'm careful, maybe we can get more people on board before it's too late for them."

"I know…and I hope so too. But that doesn't mean I'm not scared about something happening to you. I know I'd see you in three-and-a-half years or so, but it doesn't help a whole lot."

He nodded, and she could feel it against her shoulder. "I know what you mean. But it'll be all right. And I won't be that far away, okay? I'll come home on weekends when I can."

"As often as possible," she insisted.

"All right, all right," he relented good-naturedly.

Jenny nodded decisively. "Good. Now go out there and get 'em."

* * *

Sam walked into Daniel's office to find him putting the phone down again. "No luck for you either?"

He shook his head sighed. "No. Nothing. What have you got?"

She dropped into an extra chair. "No one near his last place of residence has seen him in months. Obviously he's still with the militia, but no one knows where they are now. They're getting ready for the gala. Some of them may be planning some type of strike. What about his family?"

"Nothing. They haven't heard from him in almost longer than that. I can understand that, I guess. The militia gets blamed for everything now, even if they didn't do it. But they're just trying to combat Carpathia. Unfortunately, that's getting more dangerous by the day. He's probably trying to keep them safe by not keeping in touch."

"But what about his granddaughters? They must be teenagers now, but still…"

Daniel shook his head. "I'm still trying to imagine a bald, retired general carrying around half a dozen guns. What does he 'do' for the militia anyway?"

"I don't know…." Sam groaned. "I just know that we need to track him down before it's too late. We have less than a month before the gala, two months before we're off of Earth, and we still have no idea if General Hammond knows the truth, or not. Most likely not, if he's in the militia. They have some good intentions, but they don't get it."

"How long have we been trying to track him down?"

"Weeks?"

"No, months, I think…

"Whatever! It's not working!"

Daniel stood and came to lean on the edge of the table next to her. "We'll find him, Sam. We won't leave without him." She sighed, and was about to say something else when the phone on Daniel's desk rang. She waved for him to get it, and he went and grabbed it.

"Hello?...Why?...She's right here….Right." He hung up the phone again, and quickly flipped on the television.

"What is it…?" She didn't have to wait long to find out. Immediately, a half-screen-sized image of General Hammond filled the screen, and the other half was taken up by the neutral face of a new reporter.

"--particularly dangerous militia group, rumored to be led by retired general George Hammond of the United States Air Force, was believed to be plotting a strike against the potentate during next month's gala in Jerusalem."

Sam's mouth dropped open, and she and Daniel exchanged shocked glances.

"They were tracked to a series of caves in the state of Alabama, where they were rooted out last night by Global Community Peacekeepers. However, instead of allowing themselves to be captured, many committed suicide. The remaining members were arrested and taken to the nearest GC headquarters. We don't yet have the solid information on whether or not Hammond was captured, but we will keep you updated. This is GCNN."

The broadcast switched to other news, and Daniel turned it off. "Oh….wonderful."

"Now what?" Sam breathed, still not quite over the shock.

Daniel just shook his head, eyes still wide. "I don't know."

She swallowed. "W-would they really have done that? Committed suicide to avoid being captured by the GC?"

"I don't think General Hammond ever would have condoned it, no," Daniel answered quietly. "But I can't say for the rest of them."

"This is bad." She didn't know what else to say.

* * *

Toothbrush in hand, Shane hurried back toward his room from the bathroom on his floor. At the moment he _really_ wished that the rooms had their own.

It would save him a lot of the risk of coming out of his dorm room at night.

Coming here hadn't been for nothing. Sure, maybe he would never really be able to use the credits for the classes he was taking, but that was fine. He'd seen several fellow students come to faith in Christ since he had come back, and though it wasn't completely do to him, he'd played a good part. He was only happy to do what he could…

But recently, though he'd tried to keep a low profile, Jeremy was learning of more and more of the things he did, sharing his faith with others. Shane saw the older boy looking at him with contempt across classes, across campus…and it was disconcerting, to say the least. It was only a matter of time now before Jeremy made his move. He'd promised Jenny that he would stay safe, and he was rather sure that didn't include being beaten to a pulp by an upperclassman.

Or getting killed.

Shane ducked around the only turn separating him from relative safety--and ran right into someone. He staggered back a bit, looked up in surprise to see Jeremy standing there sneering down at him.

"Well well well…Beck! How ya doin? You want to know what I've heard?"

"No thanks, Jeremy, I've got some studying to do; big test tomorrow. Nice seeing you," he answered, trying to go around him. The bigger boy stepped where he tried to go.

"Really? I do too. Maybe we can study together."

Shane suppressed a nervous laugh. "Yeah. Sure. Excuse me." He tried to move again, and suddenly found himself pushed back against the wall with Jeremy's fists balled in his shirt at the shoulder as the stars faded from his vision. He shook his head, trying to clear it enough to hear what Jeremy was saying.

"Don't worry, Beck, I'm not here to kill you--yet. But I'm warning you. You'd better shape up, or the same thing will happen to you that happens to all of those that are disloyal to the potentate. You hear me? You stop spreading that crap of yours ASAP, or I'll push you off a bridge too; got it?"

Shane's teeth barred. Jeremy was more of an idiotic coward than anything, but he had no doubt that if he wanted, he would find a way to kill him. "Yes, Jeremy, I here you. Thanks so much for warning," he answered in annoyance. He jerked free, and Jeremy let go and smirked.

"Consider yourself lucky. After all, your little friends didn't get one at all, did they?" With that, he laugh and strode away.

Shane turned back toward his room and walked briskly back to it, where he firmly shut the door behind him and leaned back against it, not breathing hard until now. He sank to the floor and gasped in and out for a few moments, trying to get enough air.

Since when was school supposed to be this dangerous?

* * *

The gala was still approaching, and the search for General Hammond wasn't going forward at all. Even though the news report mentioned that more information would be forthcoming, none really was. A week later, still nothing more had been said about the GC raid on the militia stronghold.

And the midpoint of the tribulation--the point-of-no-return for the those leaving Earth, in a way--was a mere two weeks away.

"Daniel?"

Vala's voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he glanced over at her, sitting patiently in the passenger's seat, waiting for him to unlock the doors of the car so they could get out and go into the house.

"Oh…sorry," he sighed, punching the button.

"Go on in. I'll be right there; I'll check the perimeter tonight," she winked, giving him a smile. Se was referring to the almost nightly habit they had of one of them sending the other out to be sure that the outside cellar door was shut and partially concealed, but not locked--in case something happened in the night and one of the few who knew about the shelter in the cellar needed to get in without alerting neighbors of their presence by knocking on the front door.

Daniel smiled kissed her cheek. "Okay." He pushed the car door open and climbed out, pulling his house keys from his pocket as he went. He hopped up the step to the porch and door while Vala got out and went around towards the back of the house.

As usual, he swung the door open and shut it again almost in one smooth motion, but this time when he turned back around from closing the door …there was someone in the dark living room waiting for him.

"Whoa!" he yelped, instinctively jumping back and bringing his hands up.

The shorter figure in the living room held up a hand. "Easy, son!" The other hand moved, but he had no way of knowing what it was doing.

"Don't move!" Daniel yelled uselessly. He had nothing to enforce it with.

"I'm just going to turn on this lamp…" Why did that voice sound insanely familiar? But it couldn't be…

The light snapped on.

"General!"

Hammond smiled. "Good; it is you, Daniel."

"But…how did you get in here?"

"I found your cellar doors and came up through there. You know, son, you really should keep those locked."

"There's a-a reason for that," Daniel stammered. "What-what are you _doing_ here?"

The retired general sighed. "I'm afraid it's a bit of a long story…" Before he could continue, Daniel caught a glimpse of Vala coming around the corner from behind, with a baseball bat in hand as if you knock out the intruder.

"No, Vala, don't!"

She stopped and looked at him curiously, and Hammond turned quickly in surprise. Obviously he hadn't expected for there to be anyone else here.

"What? Who is this?"

"This is General Hammond. You've heard about him."

She sighed and dropped the bat. "Well…why didn't you just say so? I could have hurt him," she scolded.

Hammond turned back to Daniel questioningly. He sighed himself, and went around to stand by Vala. "General Hammond, this is Vala…my wife."

The general couldn't have looked more surprise if a tomato had been shoved in his face. "Vala…wasn't that the name of the woman who--"

"Hijacked the Prometheus from you? One and same," Vala grinned, sticking out a hand. "A pleasure to meet you--well, again. I think I actually do sort of remember you now. Though I don't believe you were that small." That was true, too. Hammond did look like he'd lost a good deal of weight since his retirement from the SGC and Homeworld Security. Daniel supposed being in the militia would do that to a person--especially when being almost always hunted by the GC.

Hammond didn't even seem to notice the weight crack. He shook her hand in a bit of a daze, and then looked to Daniel again. "You _married_ her? The first time you meet she beats the daylights out of you, and now you _marry_ her?"

Daniel shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Well, the whole being married thing is a more recent development, and the whole thing's a long story too…"

The general shook his head and smirked, out of his daze. "Don't worry about it, Daniel. I just didn't see that one coming."

"And not to be rude or anything, but you just showing up here wasn't exactly on our radar either," Vala added.

"Of course," Hammond sighed, nodding in agreement. "But before we get into that, let's get one thing straight. You don't have to call me _sir_ or _general _anymore, Daniel. George is fine."

He smiled. "It's habit, sir."

George shrugged. "But as for why I'm here, that's not very complicated, really. I had nowhere else to go. True, Colonel Carter still lives around here--"

"Ah, Samantha Dockett," Daniel corrected. Hammond's eyebrows went up, but he just continued, probably deciding to get into asking about that later.

"--but she's still military. She could be ordered to answer whether she knew I was. You're a civilian. And I had to go _somewhere_ after most of my men were captured and/or killed. And no matter what you heard, _none_ of them committed suicide."

Daniel shook his head. "I didn't think they had," he answered grimly. "But how did you get here from Alabama? Or was that really where you were?"

"It is, but we had a couple of vehicles that weren't compromised in the attack. I took one of them most of the way here. I dumped it thirty miles or so back, just to be safe. That last thirty miles is what took me some time to get here. And--no, let me finish. I don't expect you to shelter me for an extended length of time. This was my only option at the moment. As soon as I can make other arrangements, I'll leave."

"What? No. We'd be happy to let you stay here. We even have a shelter in the cellar. Sam rigged it with a hologram so it can't be seen. We have cots and food stores down there. You can stay for now."

Vala nodded. "Of course. Any friend of Daniel's is a friend of mine. And I have heard quite a lot about you, actually."

George looked back and forth between them. "Only if your sure. I don't want to impose, and I do have other friend that might still live in the this area--"

"As if we would let you go anywhere else?" Daniel smiled. "Don't worry about anything, sir. You should be safe here for a while. And there's a lot we need to talk about…"

* * *

As Hammond had put it, anyone military could be order to tell a superior if they knew where he was. Because of that, the others could only be told that they had heard that the general was safe. Not all of them were military, but Daniel, Vala, and the retired general decided among themselves that it would be better not to say anything specific to anyone, to protect them.

Even if many of them figured out the truth anyway, simply because they knew each other. It remained unspoken between all of them, and improved the mood they'd all been in considerably.

What the others _didn't_ know was that Hammond wasn't, in fact, a believer. They suspected, as they always had, but because, for safety, they didn't talk about him openly, they never talked about that either. Only Daniel and Vala knew, and only they could talk to him about it.

"I know I smelled a rat from the beginning with Carpathia," George told them. "But I wasn't sure why, until he started doing things that were obviously not in line with his whole message…the war…we knew he had to be lying, because it wasn't us. I had at least begun to keep in contact with friends in the militia by that point.

"Not long after _that_, I joined them…and I guess you know when it was that I disappeared. It was all about opposing Carpathia for so long…but then I guess I realized what had bothered me about him in the first place. So…recently I've been finding myself thinking more and more about…well, about God, actually. It may sound a little crazy…But it doesn't matter. What I was doing wasn't something I could just stop. They needed me, so I let it drop."

They told him what they believed, that he was right to be thinking about God…but he still wasn't entirely convinced.

They could only hope that would change.

What did change was that SG-1 discovered that they would be attending the gala, along with General Landry, and General O'Neill. Carpathia had invited them personally, which didn't give them much choice if they wanted to keep the truth about themselves under wraps from him for another few weeks until they could get off the planet.

Obviously, it wasn't something any of them were really looking forward to.

* * *

Curiously, Daniel looked like a kid in a candy store when he, Vala, Sam, Reynolds, and Landry got of the plane in Israel. Sam looked at him curiously, and he shrugged sheepishly.

"It's Jerusalem, Sam. You know what happened here, don't you? It's the basis of everything we believe now. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I've been here before. It's always been fascinating from a history and an archaeology standpoint, but…it's never meant as much as it does now."

She had to smile at that. "I know." Then she caught a glimpse of who was coming toward them and rolled her eyes. "But we'll have to talk about the details, later. Here comes the Supreme Loudmouth himself." Daniel turned with the rest of them to see Leon Fortunato and several GC Peacekeepers coming their way.

"Oh, wonderful," Vala muttered. Reynolds eyes rolled next, and Landry sighed.

Fortunato swept up them, arms wide in a grand greeting. "Welcome, honored guests of His Excellency. We are delighted to have you."

Great; did he know about them now, too? Sam could have thrown up right then and there.

"The Potentate is, of course, quite busy in preparation for the opening ceremonies of the gala later today, but he send his regards. Please, come with us, and we escort you to your hotel, and then to the gala site."

Landry stepped out on a limb for a moment--anything to stay away from these guys for a little longer. "We're certainly glad to be here, Supreme Commander, but I don't see why we should take up valuable resources. I'm sure that we can make it ourselves."

"Ah, under normal circumstance in this wonderful city, perhaps, but unfortunately, things have already become much too crowded for anyone to expect to get very far very fast on their own. Trust me, general: the escort will be welcomed."

Landry looked at Fortunato for a moment and seemed to be biting back another heavy sigh. "Well, then let's get going, shall we?"

"Of course. This way." Leon nodded back toward the small official GC caravan of vehicles, and they followed him.

Daniel piped up after a moment. "Uhm…where is General O'Neill staying? Will we see him?"

Fortunato nodded immediately. "Yes, definitely. Considering that you are all guest for the same…" He glanced at the common Peacekeepers conspiratorially for a moment, like a kid keeping a big secret for the first time. "--reason, you will all be staying in the same hotel. We will meet him there, where I will have to separate to do my own preparation, and the Peacekeepers will escort the six of you to the gala site."

Sam resisted the urge to groan. So he did know now. Wonderful. But at least they would see Jack soon.

* * *

The first day of the gala in Jerusalem, a crowd of nearly two million gathered in and around the plaza used for the main stage of the gala. SG-1, as honored guests were backstage, where they could watch from the wings--not that they really wanted to. But unfortunately, at the moment cooperation was necessary for survival.

Jack _really_ hadn't wanted to come, but it was nice seeing his friends. Some of them, anyway. And as Sara had pointed out to him before practically booting him onto the plane, being so close to him for an entire week was a good opportunity to get a better idea of what Carpathia would be up to in the near future, even if none of them liked the thought of _having_ to be that near him.

The gala began with a flamboyant pageant, with dancers, other acts, and choirs singing praises to Carpathia. It was enough to make a man sick. Finally, it was over, and Fortunato stepped out onto the stage to welcome the crowds. They applauded him way more than was necessary, and it took several minutes for the man to even get a few sentences out. Finally, he introduced the first assistant to supreme pontiff of Enigma Babylon One World faith, Francesca D'Angelo. As if things could get any sicker.

Jack knew why she was there. He'd heard the truth about what she was about to say; living in new Babylon and being liked by Carpathia had certain advantages, even if they weren't great ones at times.

D'Angelo was there because the Supreme Pontifex Maximus Peter the Second had been murdered. Doubtlessly, that was not how it would be reported, but that was what had happened, orchestrated by none other than Carpathia himself. It was no secret to those closer to Carpathia--and those who knew people closer to Carpathia--that the Potentate had long since lost patience with the extravagant, self-centered leader of the one-world faith.

While visiting with his friends earlier, all of them gathered alone in one of their rooms before heading back out to be escorted here by the Peacekeepers, he'd filled in his former team on what had happened just that morning, and what they would probably hear here now. None of them had looked surprised that the Pontiff had been dispatched.

As Jack, Landry, and SG-1 watched, and Ms. D'Angelo came up to the lecturn, Carpathia suddenly stood from the throne that had been erected on the stage for him.

And the crowd fell completely silent.

Jack exchanged glances with his friends at first, who looked just as surprised as he. Then he decided that it would be a better idea to stare at Carpathia hypnotically like everyone else for miles was.

Carpathia spoke in a low, haunting voice, hypnotic in a way that Jack had heard only once. He knew that Buck Williams had heard it too, and he wasn't sure if there was anyone else on the planet who had heard it and remembered it.

"You will not remember that I have interrupted," he began.

Jack started praying silently, and he was sure the others were too. _God, protect us please! Don't let us fall under this guy's spell…_

He'd been protected the first time, but he wasn't about to take chances.

Carpathia continued. "You are about to hear of a death that will surprise you. It will strike you as old news. You will not care." And that was it. He sat down, and D'Angelo continued as if nothing had happened.

"Before I pray to the great one-gender deity in whom we all rest and who also rests in all of us, I have an announcement," she said. Well, that was one gross way to explain what Enigma was trying to pass off as a religion. "Pontifex Maximus Peter the Second died suddenly earlier today. He was overtaken by a highly contagious virus that made it necessary that he be cremated. Our condolences to his loved ones. A memorial service will be held tomorrow morning at this site. Now let us pray."

Jack ignored the prayer, which made no sense at all, and wondered about the memorial service. If it was tomorrow morning, it would be at the same time as a scheduled "debate" between Carpathia and "the Jerusalem twosome", the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall, and ten the next morning. Apparently Carpathia didn't want anyone at the memorial service, because that would definitely take precedence.

The crowd applauded when the prayer when it was finally over, but none seemed phased by the news. Jack looked around at the others again, and all of them seemed just as shaken as he was. Carpathia was capable of controlling the minds of two million at once.

(Direct quotes of Carpathia and D'Angelo in this scene taken directly from "Assassins", the sixth book in the Left Behind book series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.)


	48. The Witnesses

Well, I'm actively working on two other stories right now, and this chapter was really long, but I got it up here as quick as I could. I hope you like it. There's kind of a lot going on, but hopefully I make sense, lol. :P Can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 48

Erin Satterfield sat forward on the couch, gaping at the television screen. "D-did you see that?"

Jennifer Hailey looked over at her with a 'what's wrong with you?' look. "See what? They just announced that Pontifex kicked the bucket. Like I care. I never liked him much anyway."

Erin stared at her. So it had worked. "Yeah, they announced that. But right before that Carpathia stood up and told everyone they wouldn't care about what D'Angelo said."

"That's _Potentate_ to you, and you're crazy. He didn't say anything. He's just been sitting there."

"Never mind." Erin shook her head and turned back to the TV, where Fortunato was introducing Carpathia.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What, you expect me to believe you really saw that?"

Erin shrugged. "Believe what you want. But I saw it. You didn't, because he also said that no one would remember he'd interrupted. You were brainwashed just like everyone there, apparently. I was protected by God because I'm a believer in Jesus Christ."

Hailey dropped back against the cushions and sighed in frustration. "And it always comes back to that. Why did I ever agree to share an apartment with you?"

"Because we're best friends, and apartments are a little expensive around here. And that was before the rapture."

"The disappearances, and whatever," Hailey sighed. Then she sat up quickly. "Now shhh, he's on." The way she said it, it sounded like god was speaking. To her, maybe that was so.

For a long while after Carpathia was grandly introduced by Fortunato, he only walked back and forth on the stage, grinning and waving like a king. It was a little while before he finally stopped and began to speak. He spoke for 45 minutes, without notes, stumbling, or any pause at all. It wasn't exactly natural. Yet supposedly he was still 100 human; only after he had been killed and brought back to life and indwelt by Satan himself would he really be unnatural.

The crowd became more and more involved as time went on, interrupting almost every sentence with applause. It was sickening to watch, really, but Hailey drank it up. At the dramatic end of his speech, when Nicolae spoke of the mornings confrontation with the two preachers at the Wailing Wall, she whistled and cheered and clapped with the audience in Jerusalem.

"I hope he has those two killed tomorrow," she added almost as an afterthought. "They're a nuisance; they have no regard for the law at all. How many times has he asked them to stop it and leave?"

Erin just shrugged, and watched incredulously as the crowd broke into a cheer of "Nicolae, Nicolae, Nicolae!"

The helicopters that had brought Carpathia, Fortunato, and the sub-potentates returned, and people were moved away from the landing area. Carpathia didn't stop waving and smiling nauseatingly as he headed for the steps and the choppers. Leon quickly knelt, throwing his arms out in gestures of worship. To Erin's shock, most of the crowd of tens of thousands dropped to their knees with Fortunato and worshipped Carpathia like…like a god.

* * *

Daniel was even more glad now to be behind the heavy 100-foot wide curtain, so that no-one could see that he and his friends weren't kneeling. They watched in grim resignation through one of the separations in the curtains as the incredibly-sized crowd knelt to worship Carpathia--the man who would be king.

One man near the front of the crowd who had not knelt caught his eye. He was apparently trying to blend with the small amount of people who were at the edges, still standing and trying to get an early start back to their vehicles before they were stuck there. He was in the robes of a native, but he wasn't blending very well, the way he was acting. He was too agitated. Daniel focused on the face for a moment longer, and then nudged Jack and spoke softly.

"Hey! Isn't that--"

"Yeah," he responded in surprise. "It's Rayford."

"Steele?" Sam asked, pushing in between them to get a better look. "You're right. I wonder what he's doing here. I wish we could talk to him…"  
Reynolds and Vala just exchanged glances. They'd both heard of Steele and the others from the original Tribulation Force, but they hadn't met any of them.

Jack pulled them all back. "We should stop. We don't want anyone getting suspicious. We all work high enough up that if anyone found out what we are, it could be serious trouble. You all know that."

They pulled back just in time, too. The helicopters had just taken off, and now several peacekeepers were sweeping back behind the curtain, having obviously been assigned the task of bringing the SG-1 contingent back to their hotel. Talking about anything further would have to wait.

* * *

All of their rooms were right next to one another in the hotel, and they gathered in one of them once the soldiers had left again. They'd been asked if they wanted an escort to the event in the morning, but they'd all declined; they could make their own way there. At least they hadn't been argued with. They'd been informed that for events at the main gala site, though, an escort would be required, what with the crowds. Whatever.

"So when, exactly, is Carpathia supposed to die, anyway?" Vala grumbled, crossing her arms.

"You don't have to be impatient; he won't stay dead," Daniel reminded her.

"I don't care."

He sighed. "We don't know exactly when. We only know how. Sort of. The Bible does mention a fatal head wound, and I think it also says something about a blade, but I can't remember the details at the moment."

Reynolds crossed his arms. "And we know it's supposed to happen sometime around the midpoint?"

Sam nodded. "Right. But it'll probably be _after _what we know happens next. In the morning."

Jack shook his head. "I wish we could do something about that. I kind of got attached to watching that feed on the internet of those two."

"I think we all did," Sam sighed.

"Why do they have to die?"

"Their time is up. They were supposed to prophesy 1260 days. Tomorrow's the 1261st," Daniel pointed out. "They _will_ be killed, somehow. We can't change that. But at least we know they won't stay dead, either. They'll stay in the streets for three days, and then come back to life and ascend to Heaven."

"Isn't there supposed to be some big booming voice too?" Jack grinned. "Can't wait to see the looks on those peoples' faces."

"Yes, but there's also going to be an earthquake in Jerusalem that destroys a tenth of the city and kills a tenth of the people here," Daniel corrected dryly.

Vala winced. "That was the part I was kind of worried about."

"We have three days or so to worry about it," Reynolds shrugged. "But we should all get to bed if we want to get up early enough to get a good spot near the Wailing Wall. We want to see what goes down."

* * *

The next morning, rumors on the streets spread quickly that the memorial service for peter the Second had been cancelled due to lack of interest. Big surprise there. Everyone was going to the Wailing Wall.

Despite how early they got up and hurried there, one of the only good spots left when Jack and SG-1 arrived was on the side of a rocky ledge that let them see just over the crowd. The top of it would have been better, but it wasn't a large space, and there was a man standing there, not far above them. Something looked familiar about his profile--what of him they could see from where they stood and/or sat, but Sam couldn't put a finger on why.

People were still streaming into the clearing, and the man on the ledge sat down, as if self-conscious. His head ducked a bit, just for a moment, but it was long enough for Sam to get a good look at the modified features--the scar she hadn't seen before. But she knew who it was.

"Buck!" she whispered loudly. The other four turned to look at her, and then up at the man, who looked over and down at them in surprise. He squinted.

"Samantha Carter?" he asked, eyes going wide.

"Dockett, actually."

"That's right…you married the preacher." Buck left his things up on the ledge to save his spot for a moment, and hopped down to where they stood. "What are you guys doing here?"

They looked at him.

"I think a better question is 'What happened to you?'" Jack smirked.

"What? Oh…yeah, the new look…" Well, the scar isn't fake. It was the earthquake. You probably heard about it…"

Daniel grimaced in sympathy. "_That's_ the scar we heard about it? Didn't sound that big in the e-mail."

Buck shrugged. "It's not so bad. It helps with not being recognized. The rest of this is on purpose, for that reason."

"Makes sense," Sam nodded. "I can just imagine what would happen if you showed up in public anywhere the way you used to look."

"I don't want to," he answered. "But hey…we shouldn't talk long. Your cover hasn't been blown yet, and I don't want to mess anything up for you."

"We've got a couple of back-up plans," Jack assured him. "We'll be fine."

Buck was introduced to Reynolds, and Daniel's wife, and a couple of minutes was spent catching him up on what they could of the efforts of believers in their area, to prepare for the coming harder times when the mark came into play.

"How have you been? The new safe house still working for you?" Jack asked.

"At the moment, yeah…Chloe, Tsion, and Kenny are there. Ray's here in Jerusalem somewhere."

"We know; we saw him yesterday," Daniel told him.

Buck looked at him curiously. "Where? How?"

"We were backstage."

"Why?"

"It's…related to our jobs."

Buck raised an eyebrow. "And let me guess--"

"We still can't tell you about," Jack smirked good-naturedly. "But anyway, he was near the front of the crowd at the opening ceremonies of the gala. We have no idea what he was doing. He was dressed like a native, and he looked upset or something."

"_What_? Geez, I knew he was up to something, but--oh, this is just great…"

"What?"

He shook his head. "I don't know anything for sure. But I think…" He lowered his voice considerably and leaned in. "I think he's trying to be the one to kill Carpathia when the time comes."

_That_ got a reaction.

"Is he crazy?" Jack hissed worriedly. "If he does that he'll be dead for sure."

"I _know_ that. But I don't know how to talk him out of it when he won't even admit that he's trying to do it!"

"For cryin out loud…"

Buck leaned back against the rock. "There's nothing we can do about now." He glanced down at his watch. "And this thing is about to start. I suggest we break up. Do you have my personal phone number? The secure lines? If you have secure lines of your own, you can call that number."

"I've got Ray's, not yours."

"All right, let me give it to you…"

Daniel, of course, was the only one who actually had a pen and any scraps of paper, and Buck jotted the note down and gave it to Jack. "It was good seeing you guys again. Hopefully it won't be the last time before the millennial kingdom," he smiled.

"Be careful; take care of that wife and kid of yours," Jack told him firmly.

"You too."

Then he hopped back up onto his ledge, and they spoke no more. Carpathia's helicopters were coming into view.

Sam watched the three choppers land, and pulled in a breath. "I don't know if I can watch this," she muttered. But Vala heard her.

"I know what you mea," she whispered back, holding onto Daniel's arm.

The ten sub-potentates and Fortunato emerged from the landed aircraft, and were hurried behind a barrier that kept them away from the crowds. And then came Nicolae.

Sam couldn't recall ever seeing the man without a tie. His nice shirt was open at the neck, and swept off the cashmere sport jacket he had on and deftly hung it on one of the points of the fence separating the crowd from the two witnesses. It looked like there was something black and heavy in one pocket, weighing it down on one side. The preachers were silent. Their time had come. But still, Sam wished that they wouldn't go out silent! They had stood up to Carpathia too long for that!

The crowd had been relatively quiet until now, but when Nicolae rolled up his sleeves, they went wild with love, appreciation, and the anticipated confrontation.

Sam clenched her teeth. She wondered if Simon and Jenny, back home in Colorado, could see the little details like that, watching this on TV. Doubtlessly the whirring TV cameras around them were following their beloved leader's every move.

"And what do you gentlemen have to say for yourselves this morning?" Carpathia began loudly.

(All direct quotes from Carpathia in this scene taken directly from "Assassins", the sixth book in the Left Behind book series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.)

Sam glared hard in Carpathia's direction. Just past him, on the other side of the fence, were the witnesses. Anyone looking would assume she and her friends were making faces at them, instead of Nicolae. That part worked out quite nicely, anyway. They could display as much anger toward the potentate as they wanted--as long as they didn't include his name negatively--and they could get away with being furious with him in public. It would be nice if it wasn't under these circumstances.

Eli and Moishe said nothing.

Nicolae looked from the witnesses to the crowd and back again, pacing in front of the fence, only gaining encouragement. "Cat got your tongues? The water in Jerusalem tastes cold and refreshing today!" And he continued to taunt them.

It was true that the water in the city no longer turned to blood, and that it had rained a bit the night before. The preachers were not bringing down their plagues on Jerusalem anymore, as of today. But it was not because they were afraid of Carpathia, or yielding to any worldly whim.

That, of course, didn't matter to Carpathia.

And the crowds yelled for them to be killed.

Carpathia recited the number of times he had ordered them to stop their preaching, for them to leave the premises of the Wailing Wall, of his threats to have them executed if they appeared in public at all.

"I have been remiss! I have not carried out my duties! How can I stand before the citizens who have charged me with upholding the dictates of my office when I have allowed this crime to go unpunished? I do not want to be shamed before my people!" he proclaimed, and the crowd ate it up.

He taunted the, told them to come out from behind the fence, but they did not move. He turned to the crowd again.

"Should I fear their very breath? Will these dragons incinerate and slay even me?"

As much as most in the crowd trusted, loved, and even worshipped Carpathia, this thought seemed to make them a bit nervous.

"I am at the end of patience!" Nicolae shouted, and finally opened the gate. Along, he stormed into the space beyond it. The crowd gasped, and all moved back, falling silent. Obviously some were still afraid of being burned alive like others before them who had attempted to harm the preachers. Carpathia rushed the two of them and herded them out of the gate, then grabbed them by their robes and slammed them back against the fence on the outside. They stood silently. Carpathia turned to the crow again, who had all fallen back more.

"Here are your tormentors!" he cried. "Your judges! Your _proph_ets!" he spat. "And what do they have to say for themselves now? Nothing! They have been tried and convicted and sentenced. All that is left is the rendering of justice, and as _I_ have decreed it, _I shall carry it out_!"

He turned to Eli and Moishe again, pulling them both forward a few feet. "Any last words?" he sneered. He strutted to where his jacket hung off the fence, and pulled a black block from the pocket, from which he separated some type of advanced handgun.

Oh, _crap_.

Nicolae strode back to stand about ten feet from the witnesses, and leveled the gun first at Eli, who did nothing.

And Carpathia shot both of them. It only took one bullet for each. If they could even be called bullet. They ripped huge holes in the exits wounds, and the crowd gasped and stagger back again in shock from the explosive sound the gun made. The preachers were on the ground, dead immediately.

Sam jerked and lowered her eyes, blinking rapidly to avoid tears. That _wouldn't_ be easy to explain here and now. She saw Vala discretely lean her face into Daniel's shoulder, and it looked like the grip she had on his arm hurt. But he didn't say anything. From the look on his face, he understood why Rayford wanted to be the one to kill Nicolae.

Right now, Sam could feel that too.

* * *

The gala was centered near and around the Wailing Wall for the next three days, where there was nothing but one huge, drunken party over the death of the witnesses. It was sickening. SG-1 spent as much time as they could at the hotel, without looking suspicious, waiting for the morning of the fourth day when scriptures reported that the two preachers would be resurrected.

They tried to catch up with Jack, prayed often, and tolerated the GC officials that were on the same floor. But they couldn't even turn on the television without seeing Eli and Moishe's bodies by the Wailing Wall, decaying and steaming in the sun while bug and animals fed off of them. The crowds never left, dancing insanely and drinking and laughing…some even holding their noses long enough to get close enough to kick the bodies. It was horrible.

The celebration didn't stop at the gates of Jerusalem, either. All over the world, the newscasters reported, people were treating the event like Christmas, giving each other gifts and having joyful family gatherings. It was only now that Daniel and the others were actually realizing how much life and the behavior of the common people had gone down the drain. This wasn't the Earth they'd fought so many times to save.

Fortunato made announcements on TV, the internet, the radio, on loudspeakers in Jerusalem…urging the people to worship Carpathia as a god--maybe even _the_ god, as he put it. What a joke.

But it was doomed to work.

From General Landry back at the SGC, they heard that the beaming of the broadcasts to Dakara, and from there to a few other planets, was going smoothly. All of the transported Earth equipment was working fine, and the rest of the galaxy under Carpathia was celebrating just as much. None of them had ever seen the two witnesses, but they had heard of their supposed 'heresy', and were glad they were gone, besides general loving Nicolae in the first place for what he was doing to unify the planets of the Milky Way.

It didn't stop there. Soon he was sending one or two of the Stargate program's larger ships to the Pegasus Galaxy, as well. It just got better and better.

Friday morning, the five of them got to the Wailing Wall as quickly as they could. Buck's spot on top of the ledge was taken, and they couldn't see him. They were still able to get most of their spot on the side of the ledge back, though it was standing room only. Not that it mattered. If they tried to sit--if they had even wanted to--they would be run over by the drunken party-goers that still swarmed the place. The crowd was even larger than before, if that was believable.

The celebrants danced in wide circles around the bodies, faster and faster until the whole thing fell apart and people stumbled into each other, still laughing, drinking, other things…despite that he knew it was probably wrong to wish it, Daniel couldn't wait until these people got what was coming to them today when Eli and Moishe came back to life before their eyes.

Hopefully soon.

But right now, he could barely stand to look at what he could see from here of what was left of the bodies. By now, they were no more than, hideous, rotting piles of flesh and cloth. He wanted to sob.

And then, the corpses stirred.

Daniel jerked to attention, and he saw the others do the same.

Vala squinted. "Was that--?"

"I think so," Sam nodded, wide-eyed.

All of them were whispering; there was no need to blow their cover here, as long as they could see this happen.

A few at a time, the crazed partiers noticed the movement on the ground and fell back, shrieking in fear. In numbers thousands strong, those near the front of the crowd ran, but as word spread those at the back pushed forward to see if the sudden rumors were true. They could see it all from where they stood, close together on the ledge.

Then the bodies moved more, getting to their knees and then their feet, slowly, deliberately. The grotesque dried puddles of gore on the ground melted away, and what had spattered on the fences disappeared. The bodies slowly came together again, and regained a more natural color. They were no longer corpses. They were Eli and Moishe. Prophets of God.

The people close enough to see cried out, hid their eyes, moaning in fear. Many were frozen. But Eli and Moishe stood tall and strong, and with no one looking, Daniel felt free to grin like an idiot for a moment. He felt Jack clap him on the back, and he hugged his wife to him.

"Yes!" Sam hissed under her breath, grinning too.

Reynolds laughed quietly. "Take that, Nicolae."

The two preachers looked to the sky as if expecting something, and the crowd was so frightened that they looked, too. The sun had been hidden by white clouds in the purple sky of the morning, but soon reappeared with beautiful light, and more colors than a sky had naturally this time of day.

Just as it was foretold, a booming voice so loud that those who hadn't expected it covered their ears and screamed, came from Heaven.

"COME UP HERE!" it commanded.

Thousands dropped to their knees and prayed desperately or cried as Eli and Moishe were lifted into the air. They were caught up in a cloud that disappeared quickly, rising to be a speck and then nothing.

Daniel had to hold onto Vala hard to keep from falling to his knees in praise. Not that the first part would look strange here, now, but what he would be saying would definitely stick out. Vala laughed hard into his shoulder to keep from being noticed. But he let the tears of joy and wonder fall.

_Nothing_ was impossible with God! Amen!

* * *

Jack had to force himself to stop grinning and staring at the sky before anyone noticed. Then he remembered what came next. "Okay, now might be a good time to get off the rocks!" he reminded them immediately.

The five of them scrambled down off the ledge just in time. The ground bucked under them without warning, and all of them were thrown violently to the ground. Around them the ground cracked, and many were thrown into the air, swallowed by the ground, or crushed. Those who could ran, screaming. SG-1 struggled to their feet, and thankfully none of them had sustained any damage worse than a few cuts and scrapes.

Jack held tightly to Sam's arm with one hand, and one of Daniel's with the other. Vala had Daniel's other hand, and Reynolds her other arm. Making sure they all stayed as close as possible, the general started forward first, pushing through the crowds, to get them out. The quake stopped just as suddenly as it had started, but people still ran, screaming "Earthquake!" at the top of their lungs.

They could still hear building crashing to the ground, and even the explosion of one or two damaged vehicles.

"Thank you for protecting us," Jack gulped, sending up the quick prayer.

Daniel heard him. "Amen."

And they made their way back to the hotel--which thankfully, was still intact--and collapsed, not sure what to make of everything that had happened that morning in such a short time.

* * *

Erin jumped off the couch. "Yes! Thank you, God!"

Hailey gaped at the sudden sight of Eli and Moishe ascending into the sky. "What the--" The live broadcast was cut off as quickly as the preachers had risen and gone.

"You can't deny it now, Carpathia! We _saw_ it! Everyone saw it!" she shouted at the screen. She shook her head as flabbergasted newscasters scrambled to obey their orders, denying that the footage had been real. She turned to her friend and roommate. "What do you have to say to that, Jennifer?"

Hailey just stared.

* * *

George turned off the TV. He glanced helplessly around at the shelter under the Jacksons' house. They'd left him plenty of food and water down here, and the small television set that still receive well enough down here. They'd told him what to watch for.

Not even all of it had happened yet. Carpathia was still alive, but he had no doubt that would change soon.

He'd seen enough.

He'd known all along what the truth was. Now he had more than enough proof to convince even a stubborn old man like himself. There was no denying that everything was happening just as the Bible told. So why would any of the rest of it be wrong?

"God, I've seen such an old fool," he sighed in regret.

It was time to accept the truth.

* * *

It was quickly announced by public address trucks from the GC rolling carefully through the panicked streets that the closing ceremonies would be taking place as planned at the stage site that evening, though they would be abbreviated due to the catastrophe and the fact that the potentate himself was also involved in the search-and-rescue operations. Right.

After several hours, it was clear that about a tenth of the city had been devastated, and about a tenth of the people in the city were dead or missing--probably dead as well.

Of course.

Vala wasn't happy about _that_ part, but there was nothing she could do. They went back out soon, to do what they could to help with the rescue effort, helped dig a few people out of the rubble of a couple of building near the hotel. It was more than the rest of the 'officials' staying there did.

At least the Antichrist would get it soon.

When they got back to the hotel again, she and Daniel dropped onto the bed in their room to get what rest they could with all the noise still outside from the rescue vehicles and people.

She laid her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her. "We are going tonight, right?"

Daniel groaned. "I almost wish we didn't have to. I've seen enough of Carpathia's crap for one week."

"I'm not arguing with that," she agreed, making a face. "But it could happen this time. Besides, they're going to escort us there and everything."

He sighed. "Yeah…all that." He scrubbed his free hand over his eyes. "I can understand why Ray wants to be the one to do it."

"Do you think he will?" Vala asked quietly.

"I don't know…I know he has to die, and somebody has to do it…but I _really_ don't want it to be anyone we know. I don't care how much every single one of us wants to. You can just imagine what the GC'll do to whoever it is, if they're caught."

* * *

The crowd that night at the gala site was enormous, even larger than that of opening night, if Daniel was guessing right. The only person on the stage now was an older man in a wheelchair, waiting, wheeling around in the motorized chair and bringing a few subdued chuckles from the crowd. Once he got a good look at the man's face, Daniel recognized his as Dr. Chaim Rosenzweig, a friend of Buck's and the man who had created the Eden formula.

Carpathia's helicopters were being used for earthquake relief, but there was still a small motor train to deliver the VIPs. The sub-potentates climbed the stairs, and went to their chairs after all shaking hands, including Chaim. Leon introduced the ten of them, and then Carpathia, who quickly stopped the more quiet applause, promised to keep the ceremonies short, and introduced Rosenzweig.

(Any direct quotes from Carpathia in this scene also from "Assassins")

After that clapping died down, Nicolae took the lecturn again and began somberly, with Jack and SG-1 watching him from behind the side of the huge curtain behind him at the back of the stage.

"Fellow citizens, in the very young history of our one-world government, we have stood shoulder to shoulder against great odds, as we do tonight.

"I had planned a speech to send us back to our homes with renewed vigor and a rededication to Global Community ideals. Tragedy has made that talk unnecessary. We have proven again that we are a people of purpose and ideals, of servanthood and good deeds."

Behind Carpathia, from their chairs, three of the sub-potentates rose. The other seven followed after a moment. Daniel's eyes narrowed. What was this? Supposedly three of the sub-potentates, or sub 'kings' would not be as loyal to the Antichrist as the others. It was in the Bible, he was sure of it. They had heard tell from the Trib Force that there was more than one plot for Carpathia's demise. Were these three part of it? Was this there way of making it look like they never could have been the ones to do it?

The first three, and then the other seven clapped, and the crowd noticed, which made Carpathia turn. Did he and Fortunato exchange glances? What was going on?

When the potentates sat, Carpathia for once seemed not to know what to say. He turned to the ten of them again. "Do not do that to me," he joked, to cover. The audience laughed. Still looking maybe even a little nervous, he started to speak again, but kept sneaking glances back at his sub-potentates. Suddenly the first three stood again and clapped. Was one of them reaching into his jacket…?

"What in the world…?" Sam finally commented aloud.

Jack shook his head from beside him. "I don't like this."

Vala raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe we should like this." They all looked at her. "What?"

Reynolds frowned. "She could be right though. This might be what we think it is."

"Then shouldn't we be watching?" Daniel reminded quickly.

The crowd was laughing again, and now Rosenzweig was out of his place and rolling in the confusion.

Then there was an explosive gunshot.

People screamed, all five of them ducked out of instinct, and before they could react any further they found the heavy 100-foot curtain coming down on top of them. Daniel couldn't see. He grabbed the first hand that brushed past his, and pulled whoever it was with him as he fought past the dropping folds and managed to get out before it was all down. He looked, and saw it was Sam he'd brought with him. Jack was pulling a foot out of the folds of heavy cloth, Reynolds was fighting his way out, but he couldn't see his wife.

"Vala!" Daniel called, almost panicking. If whatever had been shot was powerful enough to tear off that curtain, if she'd been even grazed, she could have been--"Vala!!"

He rushed back to the fallen curtain, ignoring the screaming of the crowds behind him and the stampeding of the people on the stage around him. Sam came with him, and Jack was already digging. He pulled Reynolds out the rest of the way, and they all looked for anything else that moved.

Finally, a bump in the folds moved, pushing up with a groan. Daniel dived on it, pulling the material away as quickly as he could with his friends' help. Finally, they had vala out, and she fell into his arms sucked in several breathfuls of air. Daniel kissed her cheek, glad she was all right.

As they looked around, the potentates were jumping off the stage, fearing being shot at, most likely, but by now the only thing happening was the panic after the first shot. Rosenzweig was still on the stage, but now he wasn't moving; he looked almost catatonic.

The security forces swarmed onto the stage, clearing those still on the stage off. Carpathia was flat on the stage by the lecturn. Fortunato was on his knees beside him, cradling his potentate in his arms and wailing. "Don't die Excellency! We need you! The world needs you! _I_ need you!"

Blood was running from Carpathia's eyes, nose, and mouth--and from the top of his head. From not far behind him, it was obvious why, and it had nothing to do with a bullet at all.

As they were herded off the stage, Daniel saw the point of some type of blade protruding from near the top of Nicolae's head.


	49. Aftermath

Whew, that was an insane amount of information to wade through to get this chapter written. "The Indwelling" from the Left Behind series takes place over, like, three days, and its 400 pages. There's a lot going on. Oi. I'm bout halfway through it, in the story. But anyway, here ya go. Hope you enjoy it. Can't wait to hear from you. Thanks! hugs

Chapter 49

When the shot rang out and Carpathia fell, the gasps and screams that echoed through the crowds around the screens near the stargate on Dakara were deafening. Bra'tac had to resist the urge to cover his ears, and at the same time was forced to fake horror along with Ka'lel beside him. Immediately the 'gate shut down, and the transmission of Earth's television signals ended abruptly. Unsurprisingly.

It looked like the panicked masses of jaffa, humans, and others from other planets might stampede, the chairman of the High Council quickly stood to call them all to order. The council was seated around a table on a platform just outside the council building, and addressing the millions gathered on Dakara that day was thankfully made easier by microphone and speaker equipment provided by Earth.

Confronted with the leadership, most of the people calmed enough not to cause any danger, but they were restless. The chairman gave all of them permission to begin forming groups to head home through the stargate, or to get to their ships in an orderly fashion.

They all refused to go anywhere. A common shout rose from the crowds that they weren't going anywhere until they heard back from Earth on the state of His Excellency.

Wonderful.

At that, they were told that they could stay, if no one caused trouble, and the council was quickly ushered inside the council building.

Ka'lel leaned to Bra'tac as they walked briskly back into the stone halls. "It has happened; I am sure of it. We must be prepared to gather our few brothers and sisters on this planet and leave this place at a moment's notice."

"I am aware," Bra'tac sighed.

* * *

As SG-1 was surrounded and forced off the stage, Jack turned to find what Daniel was staring at. Before the security forces closed in around Leon Fortunato and Nicolae, he saw it. He snapped a glance at Daniel, who looked back in wonder. The prophecy had been fulfilled, all right. That was definitely a blade. 

But where and whom had it come from?

The Peacekeepers stayed around Jack and SG-1 once they were one the ground at the base of the stage; apparently they also had orders to protect them. They were honored guests, after all, even if there weren't many who were allowed to know why. They made no move to take them anywhere else just yet. Carpathia's choppers were coming back now, and more Peacekeepers were hurriedly clearing people from the landing site.

At the bottom of the stairs, half under the scaffold that was holding the stage twelve feet off the ground, they were right under one of the speaker towers that were on either side. Carpathia's lapel mic must have still been working, because it was then that they heard a faint, liquid murmer from the speakers in Nicolae's voice as he died. "But I though…I thought…I did everything you asked." It didn't seem meant for anyone's ears, and if the Peacekeepers heard it, they gave no evidence of it.

The five of them looked at each other, and there seemed to be a knowing expression on all of their faces. Was Carpathia speaking to the one who would soon indwell him?

Jack couldn't help taking another look out at the crowds. The people were stampeding, some trying to get to the stage to see if Carpathia was alive, other scared witless and just trying to get away. Those who weren't fast enough fell under and were trampled.

Then he saw the man on the other side of the stage, just opposite them under the other speaker tower and trying to stay protected by the scaffolding as they were.

It was Buck. For just a moment, Buck saw them, too. He didn't dare wave, but he gave them an acknowledging look, and flicked his eyes up toward the speakers, as if asking if they had heard Carpathia's words. Jack nodded, and that was the end of the silent communication. Buck's attention was distracted by looking up at the stage toward Rosenzweig, his old friend.

People ran, and one of the speakers on the tower near Buck fell from the top and crushed one or two people under its weight.

Another man, whom Buck seemed to recognize, tried to get on the stage to him, and Buck followed. The first man was refused, but he kept insist until one of the guards knocked him back with the butt of a rifle. He fell back down the stairs and landed, unmoving, on the ground. He looked dead. The look on Bucks face when he checked for a pulse answered that question.

Then Jack lost him in the ground as people ran around them. He looked back to the stage toward where Rosenzweig should have been, thinking maybe he would find Buck there, but the old man and his chair were gone. They were nowhere to be seen on the stage. Either he had been removed, or fallen off, or…He purposely cut of that train of though and turned back to his friends, who looked just as lost as he felt.

The choppers had landed, and on the stage EMTs were attending to Carpathia, and Leon was yelling at them while Security Chief Walter Moon tried to calm him, and inform him of the best course of action. But whatever it was, Fortunato didn't like it, and soon the EMTs were loading what was most likely only the Potentate's body into one of the choppers, while other EMTs spread into the immediate crowd around the stage to help those who had been trampled or otherwise injured.

One of the Peacekeeper answered someone in his earpiece, and then without warning, the Peacekeepers surrounding Jack, Daniel, Vala, Sam, and Reynolds were urging them toward the choppers as well.

"We have go," one of them explained shortly. The five of them were sequestered in one of the aircraft. Apparently there was room because half of the EMTs had stayed behind. In the chopper there was just the five of them and the pilot.

"Where are we going?" Jack questioned immediately, when the door was closed.

"Jerusalem Airport," the pilot said quickly. "To the 216. His Excellency will be brought back to New Babylon for medically treatment." The 216 was the Phoenix 216, the new Global Community One. The first had been destroyed sometime during the war two years ago.

But medical treatment? Carpathia was already dead. Obviously one Supreme Commander was in denial. Either that or Leon didn't want the public to know yet that Nicolae was dead.

Daniel piped up immediately. "But we don't need to go to New Babylon. We came from the states--except for General O'Neill."

"We know that, sir, but right now getting the Potentate to New Babylon is imperative, and so is your safety. You will be flown back to the states at a later date. Right now, the Supreme Commander has ordered that the five of you be brought back to New Babylon on the 216. It's a matter of convenience and safety, sir."

"Great," Vala muttered.

* * *

Carpathia's personal physician was already on board the 216 when the choppers arrived, and on board the GC1 he officially pronounced the Potentate dead. After that, Jack and an SG-1 faking shock and sorrow over the death of Carpathia were ushered into one of the rooms in the personnel quarters toward the back of the plane, where they were told to wait out the relatively short hop to New Babylon. Unfortunately, that meant they couldn't get to the cockpit to see either Mac or Abdullah. 

As they waited in the back, all of them dropped into chairs or on one of the beds, much yelling and in depth conversation was heard coming from the conference room, though they couldn't understand much of it. Once they were in the air, Sam tried to call Simon, and Jack tried to get a hold of Sara, but to no avail. Am thought she'd heard something from the front about satellites. Fortunato must have had long range communications scrambled in an attempt to cripple the escaping assassin.

None of them could help but wonder if it was anyone they knew.

* * *

Two hours later, it was confirmed on international television that Nicolae Carpathia was, indeed, dead. GCCNN played Fortunato's grieving message over and over. "We shall carry on in the courageous spirit of our founder and moral anchor, Potentate Nicolae Carpathia. The cause of death will remain confidential until the investigation is complete. But you may rest assured the guilty party will be brought to justice." (Quote from "Assassins") 

It was also announced that the funeral was to be Sunday, and that the Potentate's body would lie in state at the palace in New Babylon all that day before the ceremonies and his entombment. The SGC contingent stayed glued to the television in the room they were stuck in one the plane, assuming that if Carpathia came back to life soon, it would be caught on camera somehow and shown immediately to the world grieving over his death. But it didn't happened so soon.

By the time the 216 touched down that night in New Babylon, the palace was more abuzz than it had ever been even when Carpathia was alive. There was just too much to do before Sunday. No one was there to meet those coming off the plane except the pallbearers in dress uniform to unload Carpathia's body, and more Peacekeepers to bring the 'evidence' off of the plane. That was the shattered pieces of the lecturn, and the entire torn off backdrop.

David Hassid was nowhere to be seen, but Corporal Annie Christopher, cargo chief, was in the hangar as usual to oversee it all. Jack discretely pointed their fellow believer out to his friends, and he was pretty sure Annie saw them, but they would have to wait to talk to her, David, and the others until later.

They were shown to a small suite of quest quarters just large enough for the five of them. This time they weren't told to stay there, but they were politely asked not to get in the way of anything. With nothing else to do, they turned on the widescreen television in the main room and prepared to wait for the inevitable event that would come next.

* * *

Back in the states, Simon and Jenny kept constant watch over their own TV in the living room, hardly daring to leave the room for more than a couple of minutes. They'd seen Carpathia go down, and they didn't want to miss his resurrection any more than SG-1 did. Even though it meant the beginning of the Great Tribulation, it was prophecy, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see scriptures fulfilled--again. 

Jenny curled up in a corner of the couch and kept her eyes on the screen. "I wish Shane were home," she sighed.

Simon glanced at her. "Have you heard from him?"

"Yeah…he's fine. And with everybody over there glued to their TV sets too, for news on Carpathia ad stuff, it would be easy to get here, but he figures it's smarter not to draw attention to himself."

"Probably a wise decision. Don't worry about him."

"Easier said then done," she grumbled.

* * *

It was after midnight in New Babylon, but SG-1 was still up. Jack had been able to call Sara once they'd arrived and he could use a land line in the guest quarters, so he was in a better mood. He was in a chair, half dozed-off. Sam was on the only computer in the rooms, surfing for any further information and trying to contact their friends back in the states that way. Reynolds was in another armchair, still watching the television. Daniel and Vala were on the couch doing the same. 

"Do you think he saw it?" Vala wondered quietly. Daniel knew she was talking about General Hammond.

"I hope so." He would have said more, but there was a swift knock on the door. Reynolds was up first to answer it, and Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes. Reynolds opened the door let in Mac McCullum and David Hassid.

"Oh, hey guys," Jack greeted groggily, standing. Daniel and Vala stood, too, and Sam came over from the computer.

Mac shrugged. "We've made a general consensus to go to bed, but figured we'd better track you guys down first."

"You're probably pretty curious about some things," David elaborated needlessly.

Daniel took a step forward "Yeah, about a lot of things."

Sam smirked and elbowed him. "Don't you think we should wait for Jack to introduce us?"

That brought the general out of his half-awake state, and he looked around. "What? Oh, yeah. Guys, this is pilot Mac McCullum, and Director David Hassid. I'm still not exactly sure what all he does, but he's a computer genius, so you'll probably like him, Sam. And uh, Mac, David, that's Samantha Dockett, Reynolds, and Daniel and Vala Jackson." He looked at them all in amusement. "How'd I do?"

Daniel smirked and clapped him on the back. "Fine, Jack." But he was still a little wobbly from being asleep, and almost fell over at the impact. Daniel and Mac had to catch him and straighten him again.

"Looks like you guys could use sleep too," McCullum commented in amusement.

"Yeah yeah," Jack grumbled. "You gonna tell us what's up out there or not?"

David crossed his arms. 'I guess you've heard about Sunday."

"Right," Daniel nodded. "But I'd love to know how they're going to get Carpathia's body ready for viewing by then--if he's even still dead then. Did you _see_ what he looked like?"

"No, we didn't," Mac pointed out.

"It wasn't pretty," Jack grimaced.

David shrugged. "They've had a mortician from Baghdad here working on him since the place brought the body in. And that's not all. She's also got to make a cast of the _entire body_. I had to put the order for the stuff to do it with through myself."

Sam scowled. "It's not uncommon to do that for the face of people for viewing if it looks too bad, or other reasons, but what do they want the whole body done for?"

"A statue."

"A _statue_?" Vala blurted incredulously.

"Exactly four times his height to scale, and it's supposed to be finished by Sunday," David reported, shaking his head to himself."

Reynolds raised an eyebrow. "That's tomorrow now."

Mac rolled his eyes. "We know. Why do you think things are so crazy around here? But anyway…you said you saw him from closer. Do you know what killed him?"

"It was kind of obvious--from where we were, anyway," Daniel nodded. They told Mac and David what they'd seen on the stage, and they told them what else was going on in the palace, before leaving for bed. They were only going because they were exhausted enough that if they didn't, they'd be no good to anybody soon. Apparently, it now looked like the Trib Force safe house back in Illinois might not be safe anymore. Chloe, Kenny, and Tsion were the only ones there now, and they were all in the underground shelter in case the GC made a move on them. David planned on searching for a possible new safe house location immediately.

That didn't help the mood any, but one Mac and David had left Daniel made sure that Jack went to sleep, too. Sam checked the computer once more, and found a general announcement that the long-range communications had been unscrambled, and that the United Holy Land States, where they were, would be re-named the United Carpathian States.

Great.

They would have called their friends back in the states, but the memo also asked that citizens restrain from making anything but emergency calls for twelve hours, so as not to overload the newly turned-on system.

With nothing else to do then, the rest of them left the TV on and stretched out on a bed or the couch or a chair to at least get some rest, too. They'd need it.

* * *

Sam jerked awake a few hours later, not sure what had caused it. It was about five in the morning there in New Babylon, she noted from the closest clock, but when she caught a glimpse of the television screen, she didn't care why she'd woken up. 

GCCNN was flashing an old staff photo of Rayford Steele.

"Guys!" Quickly she woke up the others to listen to the news report, and she turned up the volume. The station reported that a Saber handgun--the same type of grisly, powerful thing Carpathia had used to kill Eli and Moishe--had been found at the gala sight with Steele's fingerprints. Officially--or at least publicly--he was the main suspect in the Potentate's murder. But hadn't they seen the sword? It had to be some type of cover-up, but that didn't change the fact that now Rayford was more of a wanted man than ever.

"Oh, crap," Jack muttered, running his hands over his face.

But there was nothing they could do for ray from there, beyond pray and hope that, if the GC didn't have him, that he was well on his way back to the states by now. They must have all fallen asleep again, because the next thing Sam knew they were waking up again at almost noon Saturday in New Babylon. She was alarmed at first, worried they'd missed, but then again if it had happened someone they knew who was watching would have called. That was surely emergency enough. That limitation was almost up, anyway.

On top of that, the monotone of the news reports hadn't changed, which confirmed that Carpathia really was still dead.

Once he was awake enough, Jack called Sara again, and then headed for the door. "Anybody out there can tell you guys where the cafeteria is. Go get some food. I'm gonna find Leon."

"Where are you going?" Sam asked, standing from being at the computer again.

"I got to Jerusalem on the 216 with them since I'm here in New Babylon anyway, so my truck's out in one of lots near the hangar. I'm gonna let ol' Leon know that we're all heading to my place today. There's no reason to wait around here. We can come back for the funeral. They won't send you guys back until afterwards, anyway."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you have to tell him?"

Jack shrugged. "With everything going on, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to run off without him knowing. But anyway, com back here after you guys eat. And bring something back for me too, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can and we can get out of here."

Daniel, sitting on the couch, stood and stretched. "Sure. Sounds good to me."

With her husband out of the way, Vala grinned and stretched out on the couch. "Not that there's anything wrong with this place, but I don't at all mind getting out."

"Good; I'll be back."

* * *

"Hey! Leon!" 

Fortunato stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned in annoyance. "Supreme Commander, general. How many times must I remind you? What is it? Please make it quick. We _are_ pressed for time, you must know."

Jack slowed to stop in front of Leon. "Yeah, uh, sorry. Anyway, I was gonna say that my truck's out there anyway, from before the gala, and my wife's getting restless over at out apartment on the other side of the city. Would you mind if my friends and I went over there for now? We can come back in the morning for the funeral, of course, but uhm…you know…" And this was where he put on his best 'mourning-for-Carpathia' act. "I think it would be best for us to stay together as much as we can, during this horrible time and all…we're all upset."

_That_ Fortunato couldn't resist. "Well…as long as you return in plenty o time for the ceremonies tomorrow, I see no reason why that would be a problem. You will not be needed before then, seeing as this has nothing to do with…what you do," he said, glancing around to be sure no one overheard. "Yes, you may go."

"Great. But one thing--" he lowered his voice. "Are you still transferring TV signals through the 'gate? Is Dakara getting what's going on now? Do they know what happened?"

"Yes, of course. After the funeral, seeing as it is within your position, you ay decided what else is to be about informing the, er, other worlds of what has happened, but for now we are only transmitting the relevant news reports." It was kind of funny, actually. It didn't seem like Leon was quite comfortable yet with all of his newly-learned knowledge of the Stargate program and Atlantis, even if he was excited about it under other circumstances.

On the way back to the rooms, Jack bumped into David, who stopped him and pulled him aside. "Mac and I were just listening in on the autopsy. You might want to know a couple of things," he whispered.

"Like what?"

"Well, for one thing, they found the sword. The mortician wasn't happy. She wasn't told about it, and when they turned him over she and her assistant almost got sliced. There are no bullet wounds at all--not even a scratch. The blade, or sword, or whatever you want to call it was definitely the sole cause of death. But they're not letting that out."

Jack scowled. "Why not? It would clear Ray."

David shook his head. "That's the thing. They don't want that. If one of their own did it, do you think they'd want the public to know it? It would be too embarrassing."

"For cryin out loud…so what, they're still looking for the real assassin, but they're going to let the media keep spreading word that Rayford was the killer?"

"As far as I know, yes. For now, anyway. Trust me; I don't like it any more than you do," David grimaced.

"You're telling me," Jack sighed.

"On the other hand, I can tell you that he's safe for the moment. He's almost back to the states by now. Unfortunately, we still don't know exactly where Hattie Durham is. If she really does unknowingly lead the GC to the safe house, they're in trouble. I've got my eye on somewhere else though."

That perked his interest. "Like where?"

David lowered his voice even more. "Chicago."

"What? But isn't that place full of nuclear radiation from the war?"

"That's only what they thought, so they reported it that way and cleared out the city. But I'm not so sure. And there are buildings there still intact. One in particular has security cameras that I can even access by hacking into the system. It's ideal. And it's huge. And no one would bother us. I've just gotta wait for someone over there to be able to check it out safely."

Jack's eyebrows went up. "Sounds good, but you mean no one would bother _you_. We have somewhere else to go. I wish I could tell you where, but it sounds like you'll have it covered on your end."

David looked at him. "Yeah…I know. You told us. And I _hope_ that building will cover us on our end, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah…Listen, my people and I are going to my apartment and staying there until the funeral tomorrow. I'll see you later, okay?"

"All right. I gotta get moving too. So much to do, so little time…"

"Yadda yadda. Yeah. Later. Stay safe."

* * *

Sara threw open the door seconds after Jack knocked the first time, and threw her arms around her husband. "Thank goodness! I've been worried about you since I heard that shot on TV yesterday." The others came in, and Daniel shut the door. Jack was too busy being smothered. 

Gavin came running from the living room. "Daddy! Uncle Danl! Aunt Sam! Aunt Vala!" He plowed into Daniel's legs and wrapped his arms around them, squeezing and almost knocking him over. Vala held him steady so he could bend over and pick him up.

"Hey!" Daniel chuckled. He swung Gavin up into his arms, and re-introduced him to the only one of them the boy didn't know as well. Reynolds smiled and shook the kid's hand playfully.

They told Sara what they knew about what was going on at the palace, and then she insisted on feeding them all again. It was better than the cafeteria food, anyway. And at least they were out of that palace.

* * *

That night, Jack got a call from David at the palace. He didn't sound happy, or completely calm, either. 

"_I'm about to meet Annie; she's coming here. I'm in my office. I don't have much time, but you need to know something. You're senior staff. When you get back, you may be in danger._"

Jack had taken the call in the room he used as an office. The others were out in the kitchen eating dinner. "Whoa, David, slow down. Danger? What are you talking about? What's wrong?"

"_It's Leon, Jack. He's brainwashing people_."

"I thought only Nicolae could do that."

"_No anymore. He brainwashed the mortician into saying that Carpathia was killed by that bullet. He brainwashed the cameramen from the gala into not remembering they saw the blade--into remembering that they saw him get shot. This is for real. I don't know how, but he's doing it_."

Jack sat forward in his chair anxiously. "You're sure?"

"_Completely sure. I listened in on the conversations in his office when he did it_."

"Gosh…are we sure Carpathia's the Antichrist? Could it be him by any chance?"

"_No…Carpathia's the one who got killed, remember_?"

"But he's still dead."

"_There's time. Just keep watching the news. We don't know how long it'll take. But listen, Jack, pray for me. Please. I may get called into his office soon. He's making these people kneel before him as the new Potentate--like a god. I can't do that_."

Jack swallowed. "I will. I'll get the others, too."

"_Thanks_," David sighed. "_Oh, here comes Annie. I've gotta go. Thank you again_."

As soon as he hung up the phone Jack hurried into the kitchen and alerted the others to what was happening. They stopped what they were doing and started to pray.


	50. Resurection

Well, here we are at chapter fity. Fifty! Yeesh, I never meant for this to last this long, but here it is, and I'm only halfway through the Tribulation. Oh well, lol. Thank you so much to all of you for sticking with me. I can't wait to keep reading your reviews, and I hope you'll like the second half as much as you have the first. Thanks so much everyone! And here we go...

Chapter 50

The phone rang, interrupting their prayer. They finished quickly, and Jack sighed and picked up the phone on the kitchen counter. Sara and the others watched on with concern. He talked only for a moment, and hung up, not looking happy.

"What is it?" she asked immediately.

Jack leaned on the counter. "There were so many people showing up ahead of time for the viewing and funeral tomorrow that they're gonna open the viewing lines tonight and keep them open until the funeral tomorrow, which has been bumped to noon instead of earlier."

"Oh…I was afraid it was something else."

"Oh, that's not all. We've all got to go back to the palace tonight."

Daniel looked at him sharply. "What?"

"Why?" Sara protested.

"Officials, employees, and anyone else important get to view the body first. Apparently we all fall into the category. Us for our own reason, and you and Gavin because you're my family, I guess. It's not an order for us all to go back there or anything, but you know we'd look suspicious if we didn't take advantage of this 'opportunity.'"

Sam scowled in disgust. "Like we want to?"

Jack shrugged and grimaced. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault," Daniel, shaking his head. "When do we have to be there?"

"That was Fortunato. He suggested we get over there right away to get a place in line so we won't have to wait long. He knows we've got a kid to bring."

Sara moved closer and grabbed his arm. "Jack…but what if he comes back to life while we're there? Gavin's only two. He doesn't…what if he gets the wrong idea about Carpathia?"

"We've been teaching him right since he was born, Sara. All we can do is keep doing it and pray God will protect him. I can't do anything else but tell you to get through the line and get out of there and back home as fast as you can."

"What about you?"

"The rest of us will have to stay. It wouldn't make sense to come back home in the middle of the night when we have to be there for the funeral in the morning anyway."

Vala gave him a curious look. "What are we supposed to do until morning?"

"Whatever they tell us to, probably," Reynolds guessed, rolling his eyes.

"Something like that," Jack shrugged. "Probably you'll just end up waiting around. But I'm supposed to report to Leon's office when we get there, before they open the lines. Save me a spot, okay?"

They all looked at him immediately.

"What?"

"Why didn't you mention that first?" Daniel scowled.

"It wasn't as important as the stuff that had to do with all of us."

He shook his head and huffed loudly. "You're impossible."

"I aim to please," Jack smirked.

"Shouldn't you be worried?" Sam protested.

"After all the praying we just did I hope not." He sighed. "Listen, guys--what happens, happens. It's in His hands now."

Sara swallowed hard. She knew that. But she couldn't fight back the apprehension.

* * *

Jack was feeling it, too, as he walked toward Leon Fortunato's office not too much later that night. Incidentally, he passed David coming out, and pulled him aside.

"Hey, David, are you okay?" The younger man looked a little shaken; he had to give him a minute to calm down.

David took a deep breath. "No, no, actually…I'm fine. He didn't even ask me to kneel," he whispered. "I still had to pretend like he'd convinced me Rayford was the killer, but other than that I'm okay."

"Praise God," Jack breathed.

"You headed there now?"

"Yeah…"

David clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks for the prayer."

"No problem. Return the favor, would ya?"

"Definitely," David nodded. "You need to know that you're going to find out who really did it. But then he'll show you a doctored tape that makes it look like Ray did it. You'll see. But you'd better go…they were wondering what was taking you so long when I left."

Jack sighed. "Right. Great. Well…here goes nothing." He left David behind, and went into the office. Fortunato was there, and Walter Moon, and a couple of other higher-ups. Leon turned at the door opening, and welcomed him solemnly.

"General O'Neill. I'm glad you're here. There's something you must see." Fortunato beckoned to where a TV was set up, and nodded to Moon to press play. The video showed the gala stage, and Carpathia, and a peripheral view of the crowd in front of him. It was a view from above, and the quality of the view was perfect.

What happened, he hadn't expected at all. The shot rang out, the lecturn shattered and the curtain fell. Carpathia turned to run, but ran into Chaim Rosenzweig's wheelchair. Then the old man, not looking much like a stroke victim at all anymore, reached back to the left back pole of the wheelchair--and pulled out what was undisputedly a two-foot or so long sword.

Carpathia toppled over the wheelchair into Chaim's lap, and as he fell the scientist held up the blade, and let the Potentate fall onto it. It slid through his neck and out the top of his head as easily as a knife in butter. Chaim twisted the sword, let Carpathia drop, and then rolled away and froze several feet away, facing the other direction and looking at he had when they'd seen him, almost catatonic.

The disc stopped, and Leon drew his attention away. "Do we not have our killer? There's no doubt, is there?"

Jack was confused. He'd thought Fortunato was going to try to convince him Ray did it, not show a tape that clearly showed that it had been Chaim Rosenzweig.

And he was still trying to get his mind around _that_ one.

"Ahm…"

They all looked at him when he didn't respond immediately.

"Well…it looked like Rosenzweig…"

"Would have never been able to have committed the crime in his state," Leon finished for him quickly. "Not to mention that he is also a great loyal statesman. He would never have done such a thing."

_What…?_

"Oh…kay."

"You are uncertain. Please, watch the disc again." He motioned to the TV and disc player, and Jack sighed and turned to watched. "Please…tell me what you see."

Someone must have switched the discs while he was looking at Leon. This video showed a slightly different angle, and more of the crowd. It clearly showed Rayford in the crowd, and his gun firing at the stage. Carpathia falling into Chaim's lap was at the edge of the screen, and what really happened couldn't be made out. All this disc showed clearly was Rayford firing at the stage, whether it was purposeful or not, and Carpathia falling.

Jack wondered if there was any real brainwashing going on here at all, or if it was only the doctored tape.

"Now general, look at me."

He turned slowly, obediently, just in case he really was supposed to be under some kind of power from Fortunato here. His chest was still tight with apprehension, but he felt no strange effects.

"Look into my eyes, general. Now tell me what you saw."

Jack paused for a moment, and then, as emotionlessly as he could, said, "We have our killer."

"Yes! Wonderful. Then you agree that Rayford Steele shot out beloved Potentate--and that he must pay?"

"Yes. He must be brought to justice."

Leon stepped back and nodded. "Very good. I'm glad we all agree."

* * *

The lines of GC personnel were just being allowed to start the procession past the beir in the palace courtyard to view the body when Jack got out of Fortunato's office and back to his friends and family. They weren't too far back, but not that far ahead, either. Jack looked up and down the winding lines, and took in the hundreds of thousands of civillains waiting outside the courtyard to be allowed in to file past the body of their dead leader. A couple million more or so would be coming by morning.

Well, it was better than having to wait for all of them. Jack guessed they'd have to wait maybe an hour before they were past the body, and he could send his wife and son out of here.

Sara gripped his arm as he slipped into the line with them. "Jack? Are you all right?" she asked urgently.

He told them of running into David, and what had happened in the office. None of them could quite believe it had been Rosenzweig, either. They'd all seen his forehead on the stage. He wasn't a believer. But he obviously didn't like Carpathia, either. Once he'd told them, someone cleared a throat, and he turned to see David behind him with a young woman next to him, also in GC palace uniform--Annie Christopher.

"Oh! Well hi…shouldn't you be in line?"

"We were. The people up there are saving our spot. We saw you and came back to say hi," David told him, and them motioned to the woman. "I wanted to introduced them Annie."

Jack glanced around and said under his breath. "Is that such a good idea out here?"

"Because of our positions we work together a lot, so we know each other well. Why shouldn't I introduce a friend from work to another friend from work's friends?"

"Good point." He turned, and all of SG-1 was looking at him with amusement.

Daniel smirked. "Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to introduce us? You're being slow again, Jack."

"What? Oh…I thought he was going to--"

"This is Annie Christopher, a close co-worker of mine. You've heard of her." Of course, they all knew she was more than that. Rumor had it the two planned on getting married once they were out of New Babylon once the mark of the beast kicked into full swing. Annie shook hand with the four she hadn't met before, making sure her hair was out of the way enough that they got a glance at her mark, just so they knew for sure who she was.

"It's good to meet you all," she smiled.

David and Annie couldn't stay long lest they risk suspicion, and soon the two trailed back to their spots a bit up in the line.

"She seems pretty nice," Reynolds commented.

"They make a cute couple," Sam agreed, smiling as she watched them go.

Jack grinned. "Yep. They sure are. I'm happy for them. I hope it works out." He frowned.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Well…" He lowered his voice considerably. "You know David's got a bead on a new safe house for the Trib Force, and I think Rayford, Chloe, and uhm, Leah Rose…haven't met her…newer member over there…"

"Yeah, we've heard of her," Vala nodded. "What about them?"

"The three of them are over in the states checking it out right now. Or they will be soon. They're headed that way. David mentioned it earlier today."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with why you frowned?"

"It's just going to be dangerous for them getting out of here to get there, once the rest of them are settled and they need to get out of here. Heck, I don't know how _we're_ going to get out of here." Gavin leaned out Sara's arms and reached toward him, so he took him and held him himself. "Well…I guess we'll have to figure it out."

There was silence for a moment, and then he looked up from Gavin and let out a breath. "Good grief. Is it just me or is it _hot_ out here? It's ten at night."

"True, but this is New Babylon," Sam said. "You should know; you're the one who lives here."

"It's always hot here," Sara grimaced. "Wait until the sun comes up. The forecast is over a hundred for tomorrow."

"Wonderful," Jack grumbled. "Why does New Babylon have to be in Iraq, anyway?"

Daniel answered slowly, as if it was obvious. And it was, of course. "Because….that's where the old Babylon was…"

"I _know_ that. But I mean why did it have to be Iraq that ended up with this particular land in this century. It's like it's _trying_ to taunt me. I mean, really. For almost two years now I've been living in the country where---well, you know…" He trailed off; he didn't have to finish. They knew.

Daniel tried to lighten the mood again. "Get over it, Jack; it's not all about you.  
"Yeah yeah."

Sam almost snickered, and Daniel elbowed her teasingly. "No laughing. We're supposed to be grieving employees of the Global Community."

Vala snorted. "Right."

It was another half hour or so before they finally got up the steps of the platform and to the beir where Carpathia lay in state. Several GC Peacekeepers guarded the perimeter, and stood near the bier, to keep people from touching the glass of the vacuum-sealing viewing coffin, which was shaped like an old-fashioned tapered wood casket. Velvet ropes separated the people from their Potentate's body, but he was still much closer to his people than he had ever been in life, no matter what his messages ever said.

As they got closer, Jack could see that the damage had been repaired perfectly. There was no sign of any wound--but Carpathia still looked even more lifeless than the average corpse. It was strange, really. He couldn't help but tilt his body and Gavin away from the coffin as much as he could without being noticed.

People mourned openly as they passed by and got their look at their dead leader. Many collapsed before the beir and had to be help to their feet and made to move on their way by the Peacekeepers.

They all passed the statue silently, trying to act as overcome as possible. He and Sara had talked to Gavin on the way here, and luckily, he remained silent, too. He gave the beir and Carpathia' body a quick glance, and then buried his head in his father's shoulder as if to sleep. Jack was jealous. At his age he could get away with that. As much as he'd been seen as the tough guy over the years, there were still times when he sometimes wished he could still just stick his head in the sand. Especially times like this.

* * *

Sara protested Jack's insistence that she go, at first, but finally she left, and agreed not to come back for the funeral. He planned on telling anyone who asked that Gavin hadn't felt well and she'd brought him home to watch him. He didn't want them here for the funeral. He mentioned offhand that he didn't have a good feeling about it.

Daniel couldn't disagree with that.

Going back to the rooms they'd used the night before, they actually managed to get a few hours' sleep. By the time they got up, the statue of Carpathia had already been finished and placed in the courtyard. It was indeed twenty-something feet high, and was all metal with an ebony finish. It was what everyone in the courtyard and those outside of it who could still see it were looking at, besides the bier and Carpathia's body itself.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Sam grimaced when she saw it. The statue was _au naturel_. And considering who it was, even Vala was completely disgusted. Not that they could show it once they were out in the crowds. Everyone else was loving it.

She continued. "I figured they couldn't make a cast of the body with all of the clothes on, but couldn't they have sculpted some? Something? Good grief…"

Entertainers and vendors set up along the edges of the lines winding toward the bier. All spare GC personnel were busy setting up the stage and the hundreds of thousands of seats facing it for the funeral. The rest of the millions who stay, but there definitely wasn't enough to seat them all, even in the gigantic courtyard. The huge screens from the gala in Jerusalem were being networked and set up around and outside the palace courtyard, to make sure all had a clear view from somewhere.

It wasn't that late in the morning, but already the heat was scorching. Medical tents were set up in various places, in attempt to keep the whole place covered. Those who dropped from the heat were hauled off to the tents to be revived and treated. All medical personnel were kept on their toes.

There were seats on the platform for VIPs. As in Jerusalem, they couldn't sit there, but after the procession of the VIPs being seated, Jack and SG-1 were seated within the first few rows of the regular seats in front of the stage. They had a close, clear view; they didn't need the screens.

"Here we go," Jack muttered.

A voice came over the loudspeakers, welcoming everyone and announcing that the huge orchestra to the side of the stage would be playing the anthem "Hail Carpathia, Loving, Devine, and Strong" It was a tune that was supposed to be moving, and most wept while it was played. Daniel agreed with Sam's earlier comment. He wanted to be sick. After the song was played, the larger screen played a montage of Carpathia's life, from birth to the end.

After he was loaded into the helicopter in Jerusalem, the show took creative license to the extreme. Instead of heading for the airport or even New Babylon, the now computer animated chopper flew up and out of the earth's atmosphere. As fighter jets flew overhead in tribute, circling back and back again, the chopper on the screen flew up into space until it faded away. Then another image took shape, and finally it was clear that it was Carpathia, as large as the skies, smiling down from the heavens in loving care and benevolence.

Not even those who didn't want to think about it could miss what was being said. Carpathia was divine, he was our god, our savior, and he still is. He is in heaven watching us, and will take care of us, and he deserves to be worshipped.

And the crowd was buying it without question. They were cheering.

It went downhill from there.

Fortunato gave a grieved speech, barely able to keep himself composed. Strangely enough, that much seemed genuine. One of the largest live crowds ever to gather was drinking it in. They broke into applause often, cheering and crying with him simultaneously. It was highly annoying, but the five of them had to stand and sit, stand and sit, stand and sit with the crowd as it moved, clapping half-heartedly. Daniel tried imagine himself clapping for another reason--_any_ other reason--to make it seem more enthusiastic and real on his part, but it didn't work. Not for this.

After Fortunato, each of the ten regional potentates said a few words, keeping brief so as to lessen the length of the ceremonies as much as possible for the heat. Seven of the speeches given by the potentates were grand, sweeping, and heart-felt. The other three were lukewarm, and fell on millions of almost deaf ears.

Vala smirked a little beside him. "I guess we know who wanted to be the ones to do the deed. Too bad an old man beat them to it."

He nudged her, and she quieted. No need to give themselves away now, not when they were only a little more than a month or so away from being out of here.

* * *

Jennifer Hailey looked ready to cry with everyone on the television screen in New Babylon, and Erin Satterfield couldn't help but feel disgusted, as Fortunato took the podium again once the regional potentates were finished.

"Good grief; I hope he's almost finished," she muttered.

Hailey shot her a look. "Don't talk like that. This is the funeral of the most wonderful man who ever lived."

"You have fun with that; I've had enough," Erin told her. She stood and started to leave. "I'll be in my room." But as she started to leave, Fortunato started talking about the statue, urging people to worship it as a representation of their dead leader…their god. Erin turned to watch, curious.

Fortunato asked all of the cameras to pull in on his face, and they did after a moment. He asked those close enough to look directly into his eyes, and those many not to look into his eyes on one of the screens. She'd heard about Carpathia having people look into his eyes to brainwash them…could Fortunato be able to do that too, since Carpathia wasn't around at the moment…?

Erin's breath hitched. She had to distract Hailey.

"Hey, Jennifer, you want something to eat?" She took a few steps back into the living room of the apartment.

She glanced back at her. "Sure. You can get something if you want. I don't care; surprise me. Now be quiet, would you? The Commander's trying to say something." She started to turn back to the screen. Fortunato was talking about the statue again, and religion. Something about the one-world faith. That it would be different now, that it would center around Nicolae Carpathia. He spoke in a sure, almost hypnotic tone. A tone that demanded attention.

Erin struggled to keep her eyes off the screen and her mind off of what he was saying even while trying to know what it was but not really take it in. "Hey, are you sure you don't want to pick yourself? You know I'll mess it up."

Hailey glared at her for a second. "Would you be quiet." She turned back.

Erin didn't know what else to do. She jumped in front of the screen. "Hey! Why don't we do something else? This thing is pretty much over anyway. Let's go somewhere or something."

Her friend tried to see around her. "Move, Erin! What are you doing?!"

She couldn't make excuses any longer. "Don't look in his eyes!"

"What? Why? What are you talking about?"

"He…I think he might be trying to control people."

"Erin, you're insane. Move--look, it's not on his eyes anymore."

Erin spun and backed up. She was right. The camera had pulled back, and what of the audience they could see was staring straight ahead at Fortunato, silent and hypnotized. She swallowed.

"Do you see that?"

Hailey frowned.

"Carpathia's going to come back to life, you know."

"So you've said," Hailey said, still scowling at the screen. "What in the world is going on there?"

"I told you Fortunato was pulling something." Hailey didn't correct her for not using his title. She looked at her. "What are you going to do when he comes back to life?"

She snorted. "Nothing, because it won't happen." But she shifted uncomfortably.

"He's going to have millions killed--and listen to the way Fortunato is talk now! Do you really want to be a part of that?"

Hailey swallowed, her expression and voice both tight. "Shut up, Erin."

* * *

Fortunato told the masses that they had no option but to worship Carpathia, and his image. He paused, and looked at the statue. Suddenly black smoke emitted from it's mouth, and within minutes it had blotted out the sun. Then, thundering words came from its mouth. "I am the lord your god who sits high above the heavens!" People shrieked and screamed. Those standing on the platform fell to their knees, looking up at the image. "I am the god above other gods. There is none like me. Worship or beware!"

(Just above and after this point, any direct quote from the statue, or anyone on stage is taken directly from "The Indwelling", the seventh book in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins)

Daniel knew it was either a mechanical trick, or Fortunato using powers of the devil given to him after Carpathia's death. But either way, it was an illusion. But the masses, of course, didn't know that.

Fortunato told the crowds not to fear. "Nicolae Carpathia loves you and has only your best in mind. Charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with the worship of your god, I have also been imbued with power. Please stand." The clouds from the statue dissipated, and everyone stood. Daniel saw Jack look to make sure his people did, too. Things were getting freaky here, and quite possibly dangerous. "Let us assume that there may be those here who choose, for one reason or another, to refuse to worship Carpathia. Perhaps they are independent spirits. Perhaps they are rebellious Jews. Perhaps they are secret Judah-ites who still believe 'their man' is the only way to God. Regardless of their justification, they shall surely die."

They heard many gasps. The five friends snapped looks at each other. They didn't have to worry about being seen. Despite the fact that the crowds had suddenly recoiled at Fortunato's words, they were still staring at him, wondering what he mean, what would happen next.

Leon went on, claiming Nicolae Carpathia as the one true god, and the people listened.

"No," Daniel hissed under his breath. "Don't listen to him. Carpathia isn't God!"

"It's going to happen now, isn't it?" Vala whispered, eyes wide.

Fortunato still went on. "It is also only fair that I offer proof of my role, in addition to what you have already seen and heard from Nicolae Carpathia's own image. I call on the power of my most high god to prove that he rules from heaven by burning to death with his pure, extinguishing fire those who would oppose me, those who would deny his deity, those who subvert and plot and scheme to take my rightful place as his spokesman!" He paused then, for effect. "I pray he does this even as I speak!"

Daniel grabbed his wife's hand tightly, almost expecting to be incinerated. But instead, Fortunato turned to the ten potentates behind him. Immediately tendrils of fire whipped down from the sky and burned the three disloyal potentates where they sat. The fire was gone as suddenly as it came, leaving only ash in its wake. The other seven potentates and the guards on the platform backpedaled. The crowd panicked, but no one moved. Either Fortunato had them under power, or they were afraid of what would happen to them if they did.

He guessed they were right to be afraid.

Leon calmed the crowd, and assured them that everything was all right--that those who were loyal had nothing to fear. He told them that replacements had already been chosen ahead of time for the three dead. After long moments, there was tentative clapping, but only because it seemed Fortunato expected it.

After that, Fortunato declared the main portion of the funeral services over, and had the viewing line begun again. And as things slowly began to move again, that was when all hell broke loose.

* * *

Simon and Jenny watched incredulously as the people began simply continuing to file past the bier, even after the way Fortunato had just spoken. But then again, many of them had already been willing to believe Carpathia's deity.

And then, the statue moved. It rocked, and smoke billowed from its mouth once more. Everyone stopped, and stared in horror. Jenny gasped and sat closer to her adopted father. Soon the statue was glowing red hot, seemingly from nowhere. Enough smoke came from it that the sun was blocked again, even more so this time. Many people in the crowds fell prostrate.

"Oh no," Simon swallowed.

"What's it doing?"

Then the image spoke again, roaring at the masses. "Fear not and flee not! Flee nor or you shall surely die!" What kind of comforting message from their 'god' was that supposed to be?

It looked like lighting dropped from the clouds then, all around the edges of the cloudy smoke cover. Daylight could be seen from past the edges. The lighting hit the ground--or whatever was between it and the ground.

"Flee not! Defy me at your peril!" the statue shouted. Simon stood, staring at the screen in horror as people fleeing from the edges of the monstrous crowds were struck dead by lightning.

Jenny jumped up too, wide-eyed. "Where are our people!" Where's Sam!"

Simon wrapped his arms around her. "She's a smart woman, Jenny. She and all of our friends will know better then to draw attention to themselves. They'll be all right."

The statue continued to roar, and for several long moments the lightning still fell, taking peoples' lives with it, until finally it stopped, and the statue calmed a bit, stopped moving and stopped smoking. "Gaze not upon me," it commanded. "Gaze upon your lord god." Then it fell silent.

Afraid, and seeming not to know what else to do, the crowd turned to look at the body of their fallen leader.

"What now?" Jenny whispered.

"If I'm not mistaken…I think it's happening."

* * *

It was much cooler now. It had been over a hundred degrees, they had all been dripping with sweat, and now they were shivering.

"What are we supposed to do?" Vala hissed.

"Stay right here," Reynolds answered just as quietly.

"And stay _very_ still," Daniel added.

Jack grimaced. "Crap; this is bad. I knew it was a good idea to send Sara home."

Sam swallowed. "I wish we were home."

It was almost as dark as night under the clouds the statue had spit out in smoke. The courtyard floodlight had come on, and every other spotlight was pointed at the glass coffin per the statue's direction.

Suddenly several of the potentates gasped from the platform. That drew their attention back to Carpathia's body. Had one of his fingers moved? One of the potentates tried to run away. Lightning struck near him and toppled him back to where he'd been. reluctantly, he stood again and watched the coffin. This time, the fingers definitely moved. The crowds were silently, too terrified to move or make a sound.

"It is happening…" Vala whispered.

After a moment, it was clear that Carpathia's hands were moving, and that his chest was rising and falling, breathing. Many in the crowd began to cry in terror. Of the VIPs seated up on the platform, those in back edged forward, curious but stiff, and those who were closest to the beir edged back, but no one wanted to let them behind them.

Nicolae's eyes opened. No other warning. They just opened. If the crowd hadn't already been so horrified, they would have screamed. If he hadn't already known this was going to happen, Daniel would have, too. Those on the platform, closer to the bier, collapsed in fear, trying to cover their eyes but peek through them to still know what was happening at the same time.

Carpathia moved in the coffin, stretching, and then stomped the rubber vacuum seal out of the side, so air could get in. Most scream, cried out, or wailed.

Daniel felt he was close to hyperventilating. Vala was gripping his arm hard. The others looked just as horrified as he felt.

And then Carpathia pushed at the lid from within, and burst it off. It flew away, knocking over the podium, and he jumped up to stand straight in what remained of the coffin and beir, a triumphant look on his face. He looked perfect, like he had just dressed in a fresh suit after taking a good shower.

People on the platform were sobbing in fear, the potentates and Fortunato included. The people in the crowds didn't know what to do.

"Holy undead bad guys," Jack breathed.

Sam grimaced. "That thing's not holy."

"No kidding," Daniel agreed quietly.

Nicolae turned out and raised his hands a gesture of calm. "Peace. Be still." When he said it, the clouds disappeared, and the sun returned, but not in its scorching heat of before. They all squinted.

Carpathia bid the people to stand, to not be afraid. They obeyed silently. He wasn't using a microphone. He wasn't raising his voice. But everyone could hear him.

He smiled. "You marvel that I speak directly to your hearts without amplification, yet you saw me raise myself from the dead." He continued, claiming himself as god. Then he spoke more gently. "Do you still tremble? Are you still sore afraid? Fear not, for I bring you good tiding of great joy." He kept speaking, trying to placate the crowd, but Daniel didn't hear most of it--only understood that he was using the words of Jesus. Just another thing today to make him sick to his stomach. It didn't help that he knew this man was now Satan incarnate.

Vala had learned enough about the Bible to know whom he was quoting. "Why that little--" She acted like she might lunge forward, and Daniel held her back just to make sure she didn't go anywhere.

"Only he who is not with me is against me," Carpathia told the crowd. "Anyone who speaks a word against me, it will not be forgiven him. But as for you, the faithful, be of good cheer. It is I; do not be afraid." Wow. That was sure tolerant.

The line had stopped again when the statue had begun to move. Now Carpathia urged it forward again. "I want to greet you," he said. "Come to me, touch me, talk to me, worship me. All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. I will be with you always, even to the end." Yeah, right, he snorted inwardly. _And you'll pay for your blasphemy in the end, when you stand before God.

* * *

_

By the time Carpathia was standing and talking, Jennifer Hailey was on her knees on the ground, sobbing in fear and remorse.

"Oh god…ohgodohgodohgod it happened. You were right…oh…" she moaned.

Erin stood over her for a moment, wanting to but not sure if she could trust this sudden change of heart. "You're sure you don't think he's a god, too?"

"Are you listening to him?! He doesn't sound like a god…he sounds like a dictator…he can't be god…That's not how he was before…he was nicer…"

"He's been indwelled by the devil, remember? I told you," she sighed, kneeling down beside her friend.

"If he's not god…then I don't see how else he could have done that…coming back…I guess that makes sense…" She held her head and shook it. "Not that anything makes sense right now." She cried, "Erin, help me."

Erin held her friend in her arms. "I can only tell you. God can help you."

* * *

As those who had still been in like received the strange 'privilege' of being able to greet the risen Potentate in person, GC personnel began to clear everyone else out. Jack and SG-1 saw David and several other officials escape the near chaos by heading into the palace, and they went too.

In the rooms they had, they turned on the television to watch what was left of the ceremonies in the courtyard, which was still being broadcast live. It felt safer in here, though not much so. They were still in enemy territory. But after what had just happened, they tried to rest. It was impossible.

Finally, when the line had gone past Carpathia, and everyone had been cleared, Nicolae turned, took a few steps forward on the platform, and looked directly into nearest TV camera to give his closing address. The core of the tribulation Force SG-1 was chilled to the core at his words, the lies--and the promise of the worse future to come in the rest of the Tribulation.

(Yep, the speech is from the book too. Couldn't leave it out here though, and paraphrasing would have ruined it. So yeah, so to make sure you know it's not mine.)

"My dear subjects," he began, smiling at first. "We have, together, endured quite a week, have we not? I was deeply touched by the million who made the effort to come to New Babylon for what turned out to be, gratefully, not my funeral. The outpouring of emotion was no less encouraging to me.

"As you know and as I have said, there remain still pockets of resistance to our cause of peace and harmony. There are even those who have made a career of saying the most hurtful, blasphemous, and false statements about me, using terms for me that no person would ever want to be called.

"I believe you will agree that I proved today who I am and who I am not. You will do well to follow your heads and your hearts and continue to follow me. You know what you saw, and your eyes do not lie. I am also eager to welcome into the one-world fold any former devotes of the radical fringe who have become convinced that I am not the enemy. On the contrary, I may be the very object of the devotion of their own religion, and I pray they will not close their minds to that possibility.

"In closing let me speak directly to the opposition. I have always, without rancor or acrimony, allowed divergent views. There are those among you, however, who have referred overtly to me as the Antichrist and this period of time as the Tribulation. You may take the following as my personal pledge.

"If you insist on continuing with your subversive attacks on my character and on the world harmony I have worked so hard to engender, the word _tribulation_ will not begin to describe what is in store for you. If the last three and a half years are your idea of tribulation, wait until you endure the Great Tribulation!"


	51. Loyalty Mark

Yikes! Sorry this took so long. School and musical practice got busy...we're doing "Annie" by the way. But anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it, and please review. :) Thanks so much!

Chapter 51

Jack and his friends stayed out of the way through the latter part of the afternoon and through the night. It seemed everyone had forgotten the 'VIP's who--in New Babylon, anyway--only Carpathia and Fortunato really knew anything about, and all five of them were perfectly fine with that. They'd rather be shut in their quarters, away from Nicolae and able to pray as much as they could without interruption.

They were going to need the help in the months ahead; that much was clear.

Jack promised to make sure that it was arranged for SG-1 to be flown home as soon as possible, and though that was a good thing, Daniel wasn't sure that any of them wanted to leave the O'Neills here.

"Daniel, believe me, if I could do it without raising a whole lot of questions, I would at least send Sara and Gavin back to the states with you guys. But right now everyone's coming _to_ New Babylon. Leaving now when we don't have to just wouldn't look right. It could be more dangerous than keeping them here. So you guys get back, and just…just pray for us, okay? It'll work out. We'll get off this rock in a month, and we can start over--for a while, anyway."

That was what Jack said, but it didn't help him feel any better.

And it certainly didn't help the next day when Jack came out from one of the back rooms and headed for the door.

"Uh…Jack, where are you going?"

O'Neill stopped, and from behind it looked like he winced to himself or something before he turned around. He was in hid full uniform again, dark blue coat and all. "Ahm…nowhere. Just a meeting."

Sam looked up from the couch. "A meeting," she intoned. "With whom?"

"Oh, some of the department heads and directors and other higher-ups from around here and stuff, and you know," he coughed on purpose to cover the next words and started to turn back toward the door, "Fortunato and Carpathia."

Vala stared. "What?"

"That can't be good," Reynolds commented.

Daniel stood up immediately. "And you didn't think to _tell_ us this?"

"Well, I didn't want you to worry about me or anything…"

Sam snorted. "Worry? Why would we worry? He's only the devil incarnate."

Jack pointed. "Hey, we've been there before."

"Jack, that was Sokar, a mortal and ultimately not very powerful alien _not_ Satan himself, and why am I talking about this?"

"Because…I distracted you?" Jack offered innocently. Daniel growled in frustration. "Listen guys, I'm gonna be late if you talk much longer, and old Nick's never liked that much," he paused and looked down at his watch. "I doubt he feels any better about it now." They were all still looking at him like he was a little crazy--or maybe they were all still just annoyed. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'll keep all of you update, I promise. But I've really got to go. And on the bright side, David's recovering from that conk on the head yesterday, and I heard he should be there too. I'll say hi for you." David had been running around looking for Annie yesterday--he hadn't been able to find her since the funeral, which was worrying all of them really, but there wasn't much they could do--and had collapsed in the sun. He'd ended up with stitches in his dead, if what they had heard was right.

One by one, the other four relaxed a little, and he nodded and turned back to the door.

"Wait," Daniel stopped him. Jack turned with a raised eyebrow. "One thing before you go."

"Yeah?"

"Get back over here. We'll pray for you."

* * *

Jack thought he'd be close, but as it turned out, when he arrived everyone was waiting for David. He was getting his phone back or something…Jack wasn't sure what was up, but he would be a little late, and Carpathia had decided not to start without him. 

Jack sat down and stayed quiet in an attempt not to draw attention to himself. It worked, beyond the usual curious or even contemptful glances he got from the others in the room--the ones that didn't know what he was or what he did, and had no clue why he was there. He suspected their not knowing was the only reason some of them hated him so much. Well, it was all right; he was used to that. He'd been doing black ops since he was thirty, after all.

When David finally arrived, Carpathia greeted him warmly, telling him how glad he was that he had felt well enough to make it to the meeting. David himself looked pale, tired, and worried--probably about Annie. Jack just wanted to throw up. This being so close to the devil thing wasn't helping his digestive system.

Intelligence Director James Hickman pushed out a chair, and David sat, which allowed the meeting to begin. Carpathia grinned and began energetically. "Gentlemen and ladies, I have a new lease on life!" (Any direct quotes from anybody but Jack during this meeting--unless they're talking to Jack--are from "The Mark")

That, of course, brought immediate laughter from everyone but Jack and David. David, however, had an excuse for not being so lively. Jack didn't. He faked it. When the laughter died down, Carpathia went on for a little while about his 'raising himself from the dead', as he put it, and something about remodeling his office to be larger and that he no longer required sleep.

Just what they needed. A perpetually-awake Nicolae Carpathia.

It didn't help that it only bolstered everyone's opinion that Carpathia was god.

What Jack wanted to know was why Nicolae had a Bible on the table in front of him. That just wasn't right. Finally Carpathia picked it up.

"You may wonder what this is doing here," he said, opening it and setting it back on the table. "This is the playbook of those who oppose me."

Jack froze. David didn't look too great, either; he flicked him a quick glance.

"This is the holy book of those who do not recognize me and who will not, despite what they saw with their own eyes." He dropped a fist on the book. "This holds the lies about the chosen people of 'God' and the supreme lie that there is one above me."

Everyone else except Jack and David murmured angrily at this.

Carpathia was standing now. "We shall use their very blueprint to bring them to their knees. The Jews who worship their coming messiah in their own Holy Land, in their beloved city where they deigned slay me. I shall return there triumphant, and they will have one opportunity to repent and see the light.

"And the Judah-ites, who believe Messiah has already come and went, who believe Jesus is their Savior--and whom I see nowhere; do you?--also trace their heritage to Jerusalem. If they want to see the true and living god, let them journey there, for that is where I shall soon be. If the sacred temple is the residence of the most high 'God', then the most high god shall reside there, high on the throne.

Jack swallowed. That would be the prophesied desecration of the temple. He knew it had to happen, but he couldn't help feel a flash of rage. Who did he think he was? Well, that answer was obvious--he thought he was god.

Carpathia concluded that thought with a smirk. "In the city where they slew me, they shall see me, high and lifted up."

Then he went into changes that would be made soon--for one, that Leon Fortunato would no longer be the Supreme Commander of the Global Community. Instead, he would be the Most High Revered Father of Carpathianism, which would be the only legal religion from now on.

Wonderful.

Next, Nicolae called for Miss Viv Ivins to pass out file folders to all, with assignments written for each of them that they would need to see to over the next several months, as well as other important information. "Many of you know that Ms. Ivins helped raise me," Nicolae commented. Indeed for many years I believed she was my aunt--we were that close. She has been working on a project that will help me put in place certain unfortunately necessary controls on the citizenry."

Uh oh. Here it came.

"There are those factions, primarily the two that I have already mentioned, who are not loyal. Perhaps now they have seen the error of their ways and will henceforth be loyal. If so, they will have no trouble with the safeguards I feel must be initiated. I am asking those loyal to the Global Community, specifically to the unified faith, to willingly bear a mark of loyalty."

And the bomb was dropped. Jack forced himself not to fidget. Across the table, David was flipping through the folder in front of him. The other continued on the subject for a moment, when suddenly David started. "Guillotines?" he said aloud in surprise.

Nicolae's eyebrows went up. "Now we _are_ ahead of ourselves. Needless to say, such would be a last resort and I pray it will never be needed." But even after that, he went on to explain that there would be at least one at every mark application sight, just to be safe. _What??_ Oh yeah, that would give people confidence. Jack grimaced.

"Is there a problem, general?"

He jerked and looked up again. "What? Who me? No, ah, Your Excellency, of course not. Just, you know, sitting here hoping they won't be needed either."

Nicolae smiled. "Of course. You have made your business saving lives, after all." He winked, and Jack almost ended up sick on the table right in front of him. Why, oh why, oh _why_ did Carpathia have to know about the stargate?

The meeting went on, but Jack didn't hear much for a while. He gathered that all employees were required to take the mark within a month, and a few more details about the mark in general. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Absently he finally opened the folder that had been given to him, but there was only one piece of paper inside. _We will speak later_, was the only thing on the white sheet, in Nicolae's neat handwriting.

Obviously it had something to do with the stargate, whatever it was he wanted. Something like that he wouldn't have printed in a folder anyone might be able to get their hands on before this meeting--or after. He just hoped it wasn't what he thought it was.

The meeting ended soon, with Carpathia mentioning something about how happy he was to have met an extremely loyal and supportive Chinese family that was in New Babylon, the Wongs…whatever. He didn't catch it all, but apparently they had a genius kid that would be working at the GC soon. Poor guy. Wait! Wasn't one of the newest members of Rayford's Trib Force named Wong?

Jack didn't have time to think harder on that, because the meeting had ended. Carpathia was at the door greeting each person as they left, and each one of them--even Viv--was kneeling before him on the way out. He started to panic. Oh no…

His cell phone rang. He pulled it out, and noticed that it was the SGC, and it was urgent. Whole new meaning to saved by the bell. Jack rushed forward past the bowing line to the door, flashed the phone at Carpathia--who noticed the number and waved him on--and hurried out and down the corridor. But what about David? _God protect him…_

Jack answered the phone, and it was General Landry. The commander of Stargate Command greeted him with the new protocol--as new as yesterday, since Nicolae had come back to life. "_He is risen_."

But the Landry's voice had a more mischievous quality than anyone around the palace did when they said it, and Jack smiled to himself and replied with the appropriate protocol in return. "HE is risen indeed," he said enthusiastically, putting his own emphasis on the 'he'. Neither of them were really talking about Carpathia. It would look really good to any loyalists walking by either of them though.

Jack chuckled. "What's up, Hank?"

"_Unfortunately, this is a business call, Jack_."

"It'd better be good. You just pulled me out of the end of a meeting with His Excellency." He would have _loved_ to throw in another word or two there, but he was still in Carpathia's outer office, and his secretary was there at her desk.

"_Oh, I'm so sorry_," Landry replied dryly, only letting the humor through a little, for their safety. "_But listen. We might have a little bit of a problem over here. I thought he might like to know that_."

"Know what, exactly? What is it?"

"_Dakara--and the other sites where we've got screens. The people won't leave. They know he's all right now, but they're insisting that he make an appearance--or that they be allowed here to see him! They're believing that he's god, too, Jack_."

Jack groaned. "Great…" he muttered. "All right…he wants to talk to me later anyway. I guess I'll let him know. It probably has something to do with that anyway."

"_Fine_…" Hank's voice lowered. "_Just be careful_."

"Yeah." He was hanging up when he heard a thump, and some general freaking out from back by the door into the main of Carpathia's office--and saw David unconscious on the floor in front of Carpathia. It was also obvious that he had regurgitated all over the current king of the world. Nicolae was shouting and retreating farther back into the office while Moon, Hickman and a couple other guys tried to pick David up and yell at others to call for a medical team at the same time.

Well, that was one way to avoid suspicion for not bowing.

Jack smirked, threw a quick thanks up to heaven, and bounded out the door into the corridor. At the last second he threw a "He is risen!" at Carp's secretary. He didn't wait for her reply; she wouldn't be talking about the right person anyway.

* * *

They heard that David was all right--just passed out. He shouldn't have left the infirmary so soon, as expected. He would be fine, physically. What had them all worried next was that they found out from Mac and Abdullah what they'd feared. 

Annie had been killed by the lightning during the funeral.

In the following days the palace was bustling in preparation for the beginning of the distribution of the loyalty mark, and there was no service for killed GC people. Apparently the idea was that since they'd been killed by the lighting Fortunato had called down on the disloyal, that they didn't deserve it, because they had more than likely been disloyal. So what if they were?

It just seemed wrong, but there was nothing they could do about it but comfort David. The young man kept busy though, and it seemed to help. They could be thankful for that, at least.

"I just wish we could do more for him," Sam worried.

"He's a good guy," Jack told her. "But he can also be very private. It's kind of been necessity, living here like we do, under the enemy's nose. He'll be okay. I know him; he's strong, too, even if he doesn't think he is. He'll be fine."

There was the good news of another believer in the palace, too. The nurse who had stitched David up after his fall. Her name was Hannah Palemoon--she was of Native American origin. David was the only one of any of them who had had any occasion to talk to her without arising suspicions, but that was all right--they would all know each other soon enough, when they escaped together. Hannah, they heard, had come up with something of a plan of getting out, which Mac and Abdullah had been assigned to work out.

Jack was beginning to think that he would have to take their offer to get in on it, and then a find a way from wherever they went back to Colorado for the rendezvous with the Tok'ra. It seemed the best bet right now. The plan involved getting all of them--and only them--on a plane supposedly heading to deliver mark application supplies to some site, then getting off and remotely crashing it in an ocean. They would be gone, and no one would know that they had ever been anything but the most loyal to Carpathia. No one would be looking for them.

Well, that would help the rest of them. After every Christian working at the SGC, along with their families, up and disappeared overnight when the time came, it would be pretty obvious why.

But by then they would be on another planet.

On the safety note, Jack had his friends sent home as quickly as possible. Carpathia had no objections; he had met with Jack later, and informed him that his job was to oversee the distribution of loyalty-mark application paraphernalia to site offworld. He didn't have objections to SG-1 getting back soon, because every field team in the SGC would be needed to help bring supplies to the sites and set them up.

Oh…fudge.

* * *

Daniel was one of the most reluctant to leave. He was the last on the small plane that would take them home. Jack, Sara, and Gavin had all come to the palace airstrip to see them off. He finally handed the boy back to his mother, after giving him a kiss on the forehead. 

"Bye bye, Uncle Danl," Gavin grinned and waved.

Sara offered a brave smile. "See you in a few weeks," she said quietly.

"Right." Daniel waved goodbye again and turned to his friend. "Jack…"

"I know, Daniel," Jack said quietly. They were out of hearing range of the pilots, but precaution still had to be taken. "Believe me, we'll be more careful in the next month than I've ever been in my life. Look, just remember that it's all up to God, okay? We'll be fine."

He sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just…you know the date, right?"

"Like the back of my hand. We'll make there, I promise. Now get out of here."

Daniel wanted to just hug him, but this wad the palace in New Babylon. Anyone could be watching. It was frustrating. Instead he rested a hand on his shoulder for a moment, and Jack smiled and clapped his back and pushed him toward the stairs of the plane. "Go on," he prompted. Daniel pulled in a deep breath and mounted the steps. At the top he turned and waved again, and sensed the others behind him waving from inside the doorway.

But then the co-pilot moved in front of him, pulled up the short steps and closed the door, and they couldn't see the O'Neills anymore.

Daniel could help but get a terrible feeling in the pit of hit gut that something was going to go wrong.

* * *

Daniel flipped on the basement lights and called down the stairs. "It's okay, sir, it's just us." He and Vala went down the rest of the stairs, and George Hammond slipped out from behind the image force field hiding the shelter, smiling. 

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me George?"

Daniel smirked. "Until you erase seven year of habi--oh!"

"George!" Vala exclaimed. She, of course, had fallen right into calling him by his first name at once. She had never known him before now, after all. Hammond grinned, and she rushed forward to hug him immediately.

"You can see it?" he asked, motioning to his forehead. She nodded enthusiastically, and he squinted at hers. "It really does look like a cross."

Daniel snapped out of it and laughed. He crossed to them both, grinning. "Welcome to the family, general." Hammond gave him a look. "George."

* * *

The news about General Hammond was great, though they still couldn't officially tell anyone else. All of them, though, heard about Jennifer Hailey from Erin the moment they got back to the SGC--discretely, of course. Maybe the commander of the base was a Christian as well, but that didn't mean someone else wouldn't report them. They _all_ had to be more careful now. 

That news was good, and it kept them all going for the few rough days after returning to the states. But things went downhill from there. Mark application equipment and guillotines--which were now officially being called 'loyalty enforcement facilitators'; please!--were being distributed globe-wide, including through the 'gate. TO their dismay, even those on other worlds were welcoming the idea of taking a mark to show their loyalty to Carpathia. How could one man's power be so widespread? Not even the Goa'uld had ever had a kingdom this huge. And his was because people _liked_ him.

Before it left for Pegasus--which had all of the believers worried even more--Nicolae himself had the Odyssey beam him over to the SGC and then back to New Babylon after once or twice to make short, quick visits to Dakara and one or two of the others planet, so that his subjects on outlying worlds would know he wasn't neglecting them because they were not citizens of his own planet.

On the outside, it seemed that he was the said supposedly wonderful leader as he had been before his death, but only with renewed vigor and more plans. But those closer to him knew the truth. As they heard from Jack and the others in New Babylon, he was ruthless.

What with being forced to help set up mark application sites, they never got the chance to get to the Tok'ra encampment--which made them glad that they had already set a date for the rendezvous--but one of Carpathia's visits to Dakara allowed SG-1 to get there as well, and speak to Bra'tac and Ka'lel without suspicion. There were still too many people on the planet for anyone to notice their short conversation.

"Do you have a plan to get out of here?" Daniel asked.

"Yes," Bra'tac answered simply. "The less you know, the better, but we will be able to get to relative safety when the time comes."

"Where are you going?" Sam asked next.

Ka'lel smiled a little. "We have planned where we will retreat to for the time being. There are several other believers here, as you know, and more elsewhere, that are jaffa. We will be together."

Daniel sighed. "There are going to be a lot of safe houses out here for believers. But I guess staying separate is the only way to keep as many of us safe as possible. We can do more that way, too, cover more ground."

"We hope," Reynolds commented. "But we have to do what we can to keep people from taking the mark."

Vala winced. "Isn't that the part where the Bible says if people take it that that's it for them?"

Ka'lel nodded slowly. "I have read that. It does not quite seem…."

"Fair?" Daniel finished. "I don't like it either, but you've got to think about it from the perspective that everyone has seen what's happened in the past three and a half years. They've had so many chances to realize and accept the truth. It had to end somewhere, I guess."

"There will be many undecided. They will hide. They will avoid the mark of Carpathia," Bra'tac pointed out.

Reynolds nodded. "That's who we'll have to try to help."

"Indeed."

The conversation ended when Carpathia ducked back into the council building with his personal guard. "Well," he chuckled. "These people on other world certainly are enthusiastic. I did not expect them to react quite the same as those on Earth, but they seem to love me just as much any anyone on our one planet." Then he laughed out loud. "But then, who wouldn't? I am god!" Along with having a new life and being indwelled with Satan himself, Carpathia had also begun to use contractions since his resurrection. It was weird.

SG-1 suppressed the urge to groan aloud, and prepared to head back to Earth.

* * *

Another week later, about two weeks before the month was up, general application of the mark had not begun yet--they were starting with prisoners and new employees, then other employees, and the general populace would be last. With that established and nothing new anymore, the biggest news was the bust of a large underground church in Greece, which was within the now renamed United Carpathian States--the same district as New Babylon. 

That was bad enough, but what was even more unfortunate was that Rayford and the Trib Force knew a few of the members. Last Jack had heard, Buck was heading there with new Force member Albie under GC Peacekeeper aliases. Albie had been a black market dealer before he'd become a believer, and he'd gotten himself into the system as a deputy commander, which would help considerably.

But apparently that wasn't the biggest thing going on.

"I heard the GC made that one big to cover up another bust they're planning that they didn't want to be so public," David told Jack late one afternoon, when they were able to meet to update each other on the status of operations.

"What other bust?" Jack frowned.

He sighed. "Here in New Babylon. Not at the palace, but on the other side of the city, in the outskirts. But still, it's close enough to home that I guess they didn't want the embarrassment of admitting to the general public that there were subversives right under their noses. Man, I didn't even _know_ there was an underground church anywhere near here, much less that the GC was onto them, until now. This also means I don't know anyone there, so I have no idea how to get a message to them that they're in trouble…"

David trailed off, and Jack realized he was looking at him strangely. He must have gone pale without realizing it. "Jack…do you know something I don't?"

He swallowed. "Yeah…pretty much."

"You knew about that church, didn't you?"

He sighed. "Yep."

"And you didn't tell us?"

Jack winced. "It was kind of a 'what you don't know can't you--or them' kind of situation, you know? As you pointed out, they're based in kind of a dangerous place."

But David wasn't upset with him. He was getting more excited. "All right, fine, but can you get a message to them."

"You're sure they haven't already been busted?" he hoped so. Jon was there.

"I said 'planning', didn't I? But you'd better hurry if you can. I think planning is just about over. I heard they were going tonight."

"Crap," Jack hissed. "Thanks. Yea, I can get to them. I've got to run. Tell the guys to pray, okay?" With that, he ran off, and David called after him.

"I will!"

Jack got in his truck and headed home, figuring that in his vehicle on the road would be the least likely place anyone would overhear him. He pulled out his cell phone and clicked over to the secure line he'd made sure was available. There definitely were good things about being a general. No one had asked questions about why he wanted it when he'd gotten the new phone.

He dialed Jon's number several time. He tried his apartment, his cell, but there was no answer on either.

"Come on, come on! Please tell me you're not meeting already…"

* * *

Jon O'Neill checked again to make sure that his cell phone was off, and Ana tugged at his arm. "Come, Jon, quickly. The meeting must start. It cannot last long. Things are too dangerous now; you know that." 

He sighed. "Yeah, believe me, I know," he said, giving his wife of several hours a smile. He hadn't been able to wait until after they'd escaped New Babylon. When things had cracked down after Carpathia's resurrection, he'd realized there was a chance that they might not get out of here alive. Anything could happen.

So he'd proposed the day before. They'd been married that morning, and he'd just sent an e-mail to Jack earlier that afternoon. He couldn't wait to hear the reply to _this_ one.

Jon turned and kissed her, and looked at her beautiful face. She wasn't a Peacekeeper; she lived here. She was middle-eastern, and she'd been Muslim before the rapture. But as an impressionable teenage girl then it had made her question, and she'd slowly found her way to truth. After he'd been assigned here and he'd bumped into her in the street, they had all but discovered it together.

Ana wasn't her real name, either. He couldn't quite pronounce her first name, but it started with basically the same sound, so Ana was what he's called her from day one.

"I love you," she smiled. "But we must hurry."

"I hear you." They hurried into the main room of the small underground shelter where they met. They had never had a more open place to meet. They were in New Babylon, after all. The others were already there--the thirty or so there was of them. They were a small church. They didn't even really have a preacher. Just a leader who often did the speaking, but not always. They just helped each other in their faith, more than anything, offered support.

Yekev, the leader, who was also a native, was beginning. "We will not be able to meet all at once anymore," he was reminding them. "Those of us that meet must be very careful, and those of you that are not Peacekeepers should get far away from this city as soon as you can. Those of you who _are_ employed by the GC should be attempting to find a way to extract yourselves as well. If you need help, let me know. We will work together to make sure that as many of us as possible are safe, set for the coming years.

"It has been a blessing to know all of you. If we are never all together in one room again until after the Glorious Appearing of Christ, than I pray that you will all be well until then."

Speaking of being safe until then, Jon thought, he needed to call Jack. He'd finally been told about the whole plan of escape, but then he hadn't wanted to go offworld with them, because Ana was here. But now she was family. He'd also heard about the necessary rules. They could both go now. He was beginning to think that he should bring her and go with them.

The meeting was interrupted when the perimeter guard came running into the room, breaking up the prayers Yekev was leading.

"GC! There are GC outside! They're onto us!"

The group leaped into action. They had a plan; they had a back way out, but there was no guarantee that hadn't been found, too. Ana grabbed his arm, but Jon shook it off and pulled out his gun. Half of them were Peacekeepers. They had weapons, and they would fight to defend the other if they had to. That mutual decision had been made a long time ago, even if they'd also decided only to shoot to impair.

The civilians ran for the back way out while those with weapons split up and went for both exits, and tried to keep the rest of the believers from panicking.

But they didn't have time to form a defense line, perimeter, force, anything. Because seconds later the GC stormed in--from both entrances.

The civillains shouted and fell back to the main room. Some tried to run. They were shot down. The believers with guns kept them leveled at the Peacekeepers--their coworkers. Jon swallowed hard. He'd run black ops enough, he'd been out in the field offworld…or he remembered that stuff, anyway…and he knew there was no way out of this. They were surrounded, outnumbered by far, and there was no negotiating with these guys. They'd been had.

He was one of the first to lower his weapon. "Jon--" Ana gulped.

"Drop your weapons, or we'll shoot every last one of you!" one of the Peacekeepers shouted. "You are in violation of religious law. You are meeting on behalf of a god other than His Excellency, the one true god! You are all under arrest! Weapons down! NOW!"

The others slowly realized that this was it, and they dropped their guns too.

Jon took Ana in his arms, and she held on tightly. There was nothing they could do but hold until they were pulled apart and carted away by the GC with the others. _God…help us._


	52. For the Lord

Sorry! Things got insane with musical practice again, and thenext couple of weeks aren't going to be much better. Luckily, after that it'll be over. But anyway, here ya go, and I hope to hear from all of you. I hope you like the chapter. Thanks!

Chapter 52

Jack still hadn't gotten a hold of Jon by the time he got home. He stormed in and hurried to the computer, determined to try again to reach them. Not that e-mail would be fast enough to help if they had already left, but he had to try _something_.

It was that time of day; Gavin was down for a nap, but Sara was home and well aware when he burst in.

"Jack!" She only had to take one look at him to know that something was seriously wrong. "What is it…?"

He explained quickly as he pulled up his e-mail--leaving out the fact that the believer he knew in the church that was in danger was a younger clone of himself. There was only one message, and it was from Jon earlier that day. Jack opened it, read it, and groaned. He made a passing mention of the meeting being earlier than usual, because it would be one of the last regular gatherings of all of the members of the small church. That meant his fear was right; they were already meeting, and the GC were coming up on them.

If they hadn't already pounced.

The fact that Jon also informed him that he and Ana had gotten married that morning on something of an impromptu impulse didn't help him feel better. He wished he had time to be happy for them, but right now fearing for their lives was rather more prominent in his mind.

"Oh no…" Sara breathed.

"No kidding," Jack scowled to himself. He shut off the internet browser and pulled his phone out of his pocket to call David back. It rang in his hand.

It was David.

"_Jack, I just heard that--_"

"They already got busted? Yeah, I kind of figured. I couldn't raise the guy I know there," Jack grimaced. "Now what? Can we do anything if they have them?"

Hassid sighed on the other end of the connection. "_There's no 'if', Jack. They've got them, about thirty of them, presumably all believers. They're bringing them all back to the detention center near the palace now--though it'll barely hold them all, as well as the real criminals already there._"

The only public jail-like facility the GC had in the main of New Babylon was small, and not far from the palace. Apparently crime wasn't assumed to be rampant in the capital city of the world. The GC hadn't planned for much of it. Or maybe they just didn't want to have to keep prisoners in the beautiful city for very long. Either way, in the end, it turned out that the crime rate in New Babylon really was low--the facility that _was_ there was hardly needed. Especially not now, when everyone was loyal to Carpathia because they thought he was god.

Jack swallowed. "Crap…so what do we do?"

There was a long pause. "_There's nothing we can do. Buck and Albie aren't going to be able to free the church in Greece either. They're there for support, to find out what's really going on. You know that. There's no way we can get them out of there and not jeopardize everyone else._"

"You're saying we can't do _anything_?" he tried again. He knew it. He just didn't want to accept it. Sara, only hearing his side of the conversation, didn't look happy.

No duh.

"_Only pray, and believe that whatever happens, it's in God's hands_."

* * *

After letting them in, Daniel followed Hank and Carolyn back into his kitchen, where Vala, Sam, Siler, and Reynolds were already waiting. He came to the table and lowered himself into the only chair that they'd left him--the one at the head. He ignored the fact that they'd probably done that purposely, pushed aside the discomfort it caused and jumped in.

"Okay…so where are we?"

They didn't need more prompting than that. Sam spoke up first. "All of the supplies that haven't been transported yet are packed securely, and hidden in the tunnel to the rendezvous site, ready to go when we are. I've also made sure that I know where all of the SGC's extra naquidah generators are. We'll grab two or three before we head out."

Landry smiled. "And she shouldn't have a problem with that, because I've seen to it that the SGC officially has a training maneuver scheduled in that area of the woods for that day and the two or three surrounding it either way, just to be safe. As long as our cover isn't blown, we shouldn't be bothered. No one will even pay attention if by chance the Tok'ra ships are detected. They'll assume we're using our own captured ships for training simulations. After all, why else would we choose a spot so out in the middle of nowhere?"

"Perfect," Daniel nodded. "What about the rest of the believers--those we can't bring with us? How are they doing with preparations for the rest of the Tribulation?" He didn't particularly like that part, but they couldn't very well bring the rest of the church and the group from Sam's part of town. The Tok'ra simply didn't have enough ships to spare. And using anymore that they were already going to be bringing would make it harder to get away safely, anyway.

"Simon, Jenny, and I have been helping with those efforts in our neighborhood. They've been building shelters, stocking up…many of them know friend or family elsewhere that have even better places to stay safe for a while. Some of them are already on their way there," Sam told them all. "I guess that's all we can do."

Vala sat forward. "And we're making sure everyone's in connection with the Co-op here on Earth, right?"

Daniel nodded. "Right. We can't just leave without doing everything we can to help make sure our brothers and sisters in Christ will be as safe as they can be here."

"We're doing that all right," Reynolds commented. "I think we've all done enough digging and moving crates and boxes to last a lifetime."

Carolyn smiled a little. "I think they'll be fine. This Co-op thing of Chloe's already seems like its going to work great for the believers. Everyone will have what they need."

"And Anise and Freya have done a great job getting the Interplanetary Co-op together. I may have mentioned it first, but we haven't been out there a lot. They and whoever else is helping them have done most of the legwork out there," Sam added.

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

She shrugged. "Why make up some strange name for it? That's what it is. So sure, yeah."

"Oh, well, just wanted to make sure," he smirked in amusement.

That was when the phone rang.

* * *

Well, the rest of the Force back in the states knew about the bust now. They understood that there wasn't much Jack could do. They knew that application of the mark was beginning with prisoners, and that it was starting soon.

Sometimes, Jack really hated being stuck in New Babylon.

On that note, the plan for escape was coming along. They had a reason for all of them being on the same plane. Mac and Abdullah would be flying a large shipment of mark application site equipment to the first public application site in Tel Aviv, their newly discovered sister Hannah Palemoon would be coming along as the palace's foremost expert in biochip injection. She had worked at her family's veterinary practice on the Indian reservation she'd grown up on, and thus was one of few in New Babylon who actually knew much at all about the technology.

David would come, too, though his 'reason' was less clear, but it came with his position. No one would question him. Carpathia wanted him at the site, anyway.

The plane the cargo would be hauled in was a new plane model, and could do quite a few extraordinary moves--even with cargo and passengers. Mac had suggested that he and Abdullah do a bit of an airshow for the assembled crowds before landing. It the middle of the performance, the plane would crash into the ocean, and no one would be the wiser. All of its passengers would be elsewhere, having stopped and gotten off somewhere beforehand, but no one would know that. The show and crash would be dome remotely or programmed--another interesting feature of the plane.

Carpathia wanted Jack to be at the site, too, as well as at the ceremonies in Jerusalem the day after, and expressed that he would be more than happy if he brought his family, too--in order for them all to have their mark applied, of course. He'd offered to allow them to come on the 216 with him, Fortunato, and the other executives, but Jack had declined, asking instead if he and his family could come on the second plane, with Mac and Abdullah, the supplies and those passengers. After all, he had a young child who would be fascinated to be on the plane while it was performing its tricks for the crowd. Why not take the chance to give his kid the experience? He never mentioned, of course, that they would no longer be on the plane by then.

So far, it seemed like it was all going to work.

Then, of course, was the problem of Chang Wong--who was indeed the brother of one of the newest members of Ray Steele's Trib Force. The teenager was a believer, but he was also a genius, and his insanely loyal father wanted him to take the mark immediately and work at the palace. The palace wanted him, but the boy, of course, didn't want to work there. But he couldn't tell his parents that he was a believer, for fear that his father would turn him over.

It was sad, really. And now it looked like they would have to get him out, too. David was thinking about throwing out an excuse of wanted to bring the boy on an assignment before hiring him. Hopefully that would work.

Jack heard things were running relatively smoothly in Colorado, and he envied them. He knew they were concerned for Jon and Ana and the rest of them, too, but the tension among the believers in New Babylon was almost palpable.

Things came to a head when Fortunato contacted Jack by phone in his office--apparently with his new office he couldn't find the time to come see him, even though he was just across the palace.

"_I'm going to the detention center nearby to oversee mark application to the prisoners tomorrow, since it is so close, and is one of the first establishments that will be doing so," Leon told him. "I thought that perhaps you would like to accompany me to see what it is that your people are setting up on other worlds for citizens everywhere_."

Uhm…okay….that was a little weird, but…

"Okay…you sure you want me to come, Leon?" Though on the inside, he wanted to yell. You want me to do _what_??? He didn't want to go there. He knew the believers there would refuse the mark, and he knew what would happen then. He didn't want to see those people die.

But he couldn't leave Jon thinking he'd abandoned them, either.

What was he supposed to do?

"_Most High Revered. And of course I would like for you to come, general. Perhaps we have our differences, but I believe this is something that you would want to see--people showing their loyalty for our risen lord_!"

"Yeah, yeah, that's great…" He swallowed. "Uhm, yeah, sure, I'll be there." He ignored the urge to throw up, pass out, or both, until the conversation ended, and then he dropped back against the back of his chair. What had he just gotten himself into?

* * *

The detention facility wasn't as bad as he'd worried. The place had individual cells, but all of the prisoners had been gathered into the single fenced-in common area inside. There were fifty or sixty prisoners in all, and about half of them had the mark of the believer--the ones from the church bust. The others were only petty criminals.

Jack wondered if those other people knew the weight of the decision they would be asked to make in only a few short moments.

He looked for Jon and Ana, but couldn't find them immediately. The prisoners were milling about, and many of the believers were gathered in small groups, obviously praying. The highest ranking of the GC officers there that had escorted Jack and Fortunato in called out to the crowd to quiet them down.

"Listen up! Quiet, all of you!" Those who weren't believers fell silent at the sight of Fortunato, as did some of the believers, but most of them kept praying silently. One from one of he larger kneeling groups looked up for a moment, but then back down. When he moved, Jack caught a glimpse of Jon on the other side of him, and probably Ana, too. Another thing he'd gotten in the e-mail was a digital picture of the both of them, so he finally knew what the girl looked like.

"You should all feel privileged," the GC officer went on. "Most High Reverend Fortunato himself is here to witness you taking your marks. You will be some of the first to have it administered--to be able to show your loyalty to the risen potentate."

Many of the prisoners cheered at this. Jack was sure that none of them knew just what they were so excited about. The believers remained silent. Some were still praying, including Jon's group. They seemed to still pay attention, but they did not get up. Now that jack looked closer, he could see a few without the mark of the believer kneeling. Were they being led to Christ? He could only hope. The fewer who condemned themselves here today, the better.

"You will file out in an orderly fashion and be led to the other end of the building, where the loyalty mark application equipment has been set up." The prisoners started to shout out what image they wanted, where they wanted it--there was a choice between forehead and hand, and between the numbers for a person's region, the potentate's name, or his image, when it came to the visible tattoo on the skin. At least for the public those would be the choices. "You will all receive the basic biochip and numbers on the left hand. You have all broken the law; you do not get the luxury of a choice."

There was a collective groan, and the officer raised a hand. "One more thing!" They quieted again.

Fortunato looked him. "Lieutenant, not all of the prisoners are yet giving you their complete attention."

The man glanced at the 'reverend', then back at the kneeling believers in the pen. "All of you! On your feet! Now!" They didn't move. He motioned to several of the guards. They hefted weapons and moved toward the entrance to the holding area.

"Now now, there is no need for violence," Fortunato stopped them. "If they refuse to take the mark, they will suffer the consequences soon enough. Explain it to them, lieutenant."

"Gladly." He looked out at the prisoners. "I assume you have all heard about the loyalty enforcement facilitators?"

"You're not actually gonna use those things, right?" someone shouted out.

The officer glared. "Of course. You accept the mark and pledge your loyalty to our risen lord, or you face the consequences."

"You cut our head off?" someone else wondered aloud.

"If you wish to be blunt, yes."

"Isn't that a little harsh?"

"Don't we get a choice?"

This was where Fortunato came back in. "Of course you may all choose. We recognize free will in this regime. The risen potentate loves all of you, and wishes you to be loyal to him, but he will not force you to be."

Jack snorted inwardly. _Oh yeah_? As he watched, the rest of the believers finally stood to watch what was happening, and of those that had been kneeling with them, all stood too, marks of the believer appearing on their foreheads as they got to their feet.

"You have your choice," Leon continued. "You can either recognize that our potentate is god and pledge your life to him, or you choose the alternative."

"But that's not an alternative at all!" one of the prisoners answered angrily.

"It is your choice."

"Then I guess I'm taking the mark," the same guy mumbled.

The GC officer clapped his hands to regain attention. "Good! Now, before we take you all over there, we have to ask. It's just a formality, as I'm sure all of you understand what will happen if you don't, but we must ask of you are planning to reject the mark. Anyone?"

There was a split second of silence, and then the young middle eastern man who had looked up before stepped forward. "I am Yekev, a child of the true God, and a follower of Christ Jesus, and I refuse to accept the Antichrist as god. I refuse his mark."

The officer glared. "So you're one of the Judah-ites we've got here, are you? Well, I hope the rest of them aren't as stupid as you. Fine. You want to die tonight? I can't stop you if you want to throw your life away."

Jack swallowed when he saw Jon and Ana step up next. That was when Jon saw him, and their eyes locked for a brief moment. The younger version of himself gave him a small quirk of a smile, as if to say he was all right.

"I also reject the Antichrist as g--"

"All right! We don't need to hear that crap. Just tell us if you're not taking the mark, got it? No propaganda."

Jon raised an eyebrow, and Ana gripped his hand and held her head high.

"I will not be taking the Antichrist's mark," she told everyone smartly.

The rest of the believers started to clump around the three who had already spoken, calling out their intent to not take the mark. The GC officer looked stumped, and Fortunato looked absolutely horrified. He'd been saying before that the 'loyalty enforcement facilitators' would never really be needed. Yet they were about to be used plenty.

"You're all crazy!" one of the other prisoners shouted.

"Just take it and get over it! What you guys believe is bull!"

Fortunato stepped forward and quieted the crowd. "Silence! Do you who are refusing understand that if you refuse the mark, you will die? You will be forever separated for the risen lord, your god!"

The one who had called himself Yekev stepped forward. He had the bearing of a leader. Jack wondered if he was the leader of the small church that was there.

"No. Those who take the Antichrist's mark are the ones who separate themselves from the true God forever."

Jon turned to look at all of the prisoners. "Do you understand that? If you take the mark, you seal your fate forever! That's your final choice!"

"You won't be able to change your mind later even if you want to. You've all seen what's happened since the disappearances--the rapture. You have to know God is really out there!" Ana called.

"You have all had so many chances! But there will be no more chances if you take the mark," another believer shouted.

Fortunato and the GC were watching this, seemingly not quite sure what to do. But one thing was sure; they weren't happy in the slightest. Leon was going red in the face, at this 'blasphemy', as he probably thought of it.

"Don't pass up this last chance to turn to God! Accept him, believe in his love for you, and today we will all be in Heaven with Him," Yekev said resolutely.

A few of the other prisoners looked at each other, and then called out to Yekev to ask how to accept the true God. Yekev motioned them all to him and began to pray with them. One by one, marks of the believer appeared on more foreheads. Jack felt his throat clogging up.

Heaven was rejoicing today.

He only wished he could do more to help them.

"All RIGHT!" the lieutenant shouted. "That's _quite_ enough!" The cage fell silent except for the few still praying to accept Christ. "Quiet!" he shouted again. After a moment, they too fell silent, and the new believers looked up.

Jack couldn't quite believe it, but by now there were barely ten people in the cage without the mark of he believer. It was a miracle he could never have hoped for, yet here it was right in front of him. The way Yekev, Jon, and the others were smiling said they were thinking along the same lines.

"Now…we'll open the holding area, and you will come out in a single file down the hallway--smart ones in front, suicides in back. When we get to the other end of the building, those taking the mark go to the right, and the rest of you to the left, in line by the loyalty enforcement facilitator. You have the option to change your mind until you are secured in the device. Understood?"

There was some general murmuring, several cries of "I won't change my mind!", and the prisoners were let out. Fortunato walked at the head with the lieutenant. Jack fell behind, playing at helping the guards keep the prisoners in check and in line. After a moment when he was sure no one thought his action suspicious, he fell in line beside, Jon, Ana, and Yekev.

"I'm so sorry…" he whispered. "I tried to reach you, but I didn't hear about the raid in time."

Jon smiled solemnly. "Hey…it's not your fault. Don't worry about it; believe me, I know you are," he whispered back pointedly, reminding him that they had the same mind without giving anything away to Ana. Though of course, unless something drastic changed, in the next few minutes they would both be in Heaven, and Jon could tell her everything.

Jack swallowed. "Will you guys be okay?"

Ana didn't look entirely convinced, but he could tell she was trying her hardest to be brave. "What better way to go then to go together, giving our lived for the Lord? We will be fine."

Jon sighed a little. "I guess in a few minutes we'll be more than fine."

There were suddenly tears in his eyes along with the lump in his throat, and Jack blinked furiously. "I guess." He paused. "I…I wish I could do more."

"Hey…you're here. That means something."

"We've all been praying for you."

"Thanks. But I guess this is what He wants. It's okay." Jon looked at him hard. "You take care of Sara and Carter and Daniel and rest of them until we get back, okay?"

All Jack could do was nod at that, and then he had to move away to another part of the line to avoid suspicion. They were reaching the application center, anyway. The eleven in the front who were taking the mark went off left, toward several small cubicles with application personnel and the devices that would insert the biochip and the tattoo. The rest of the prisoners were led left--toward the guillotine that was standing there, waiting alone in the middle of an open area of the concrete floor.

The guards started the few taking the mark through the process, sending them into the cubicles. Inside, the man or woman inside would apply the anesthetic, take the device that shot the small biochip painlessly under the skin and apply the mark, then swab the area again and let the prisoner go, where they would go out on the other side and get back into another line to be led back to the cells later. Jack couldn't help but feel his gut tightening while he watched this. These people didn't understand what they were doing, even if they'd just heard it--_again_. And there was nothing else he could do for them.

They didn't bring the prisoners that had taken the mark back immediately. They left them there, standing in their line under guard. Apparently they were going to be allowed to stay and watch the executions. Jack felt sick already.

Yekev was the first to be pulled up the loyalty enforcement facilitator. But he didn't have to be pulled. He walked on his own and knelt in place. But he didn't let them lean him forward to secure him in the device until he'd said one more thing. "Jesus is the Christ! Accept him while you still can," he said to the prisoners and GC personnel in the room that had not taken the mark yet. "_He_ truly does love you."

One of the GC hit him in the back of the head with the but of his gun, knocking the young man forward so the others could secure his neck and wrists in the device. The room broke into hooting and calling, as the GC guards and prisoners not making the right choice rooted for the kill. Fortunato had schooled his features. He was not happy that so many were not choosing loyalty, yet he did not look like he wanted to cheer for the deaths, either. His expression was resigned, suppressing anger. He stepped forward before the blade could be released the first time.

"You are all fools!" he spat. "You are certain that you want this? This death? Would you rather not accept the mark and serve our risen lord? You do not have to die." He looked at Yekev. "I know you're already secured there, but I am giving each and every one of you one last chance. Change your mind now!"

A swarm of answered bombarded the new reverend:

"Not on your life!"

"I don't think so!"

"We only serve God!"

"We'll be with Him tonight!"

"You can take our lives; not our salvation!"

Fortunato was going red-faced again. He wanted to say a lot more, but probably feared exploding and ruining his reputation--not that he had much of a good one in the first place. As much as he hated what was about to happen, jack almost wanted to laugh at the man. The ridiculous clerical regalia didn't help. "Very well!" he shouted, and stepped back. "Proceed with the executions!"

With Yekev secured, all the operator of the facilitator had to do was pull the string to honor the Most High Idiot's request. Jack wanted to close his eyes, but that wouldn't look good. Instead he surreptitiously averted them, gulping furiously. After the thump, the wild cheers didn't help his gag reflex.

Once the body was removed, he finally glanced up again, to see Jon and Ana one last time. They were holding hands tightly, and Jon whispered something in her ear before they pulled her away toward the device. If he could trust what he'd lip-read, it had been something like "See you on the other side." There were tears in both of their eyes, but he smiled at his young wife encouragingly. Jack felt his breath catch when Ana began to sing softly. (Disclaimer: I do not own the words to this song, etc, though I'm not sure who did write them)

"_There is coming a day,  
When no heart aches shall come,  
No more clouds in the sky,  
No more tears to dim the eye,  
All is peace forever more,  
On that happy golden shore,  
What a day, glorious day that will be_…"

She knelt, and they secured her. As she reached chorus of the song, first Jon, and then the rest of the believers that knew it joined in.

"_What a day that will be,  
When my Jesus I shall see,  
And I look upon His face,  
The One who saved me by His grace;  
When He takes me by the hand,  
And leads me through the Promised Land,  
What a day, glorious day that will be._"

Jack had to look away again. The thump this time silenced only one voice; the other kept singing. He sang with them in his heart. He looked up again, barely able to control his breathing. His vision blurred with tears, but he saw Jon look at him again, and nod almost imperceptibly.

"_There'll be no sorrow there,  
No more burdens to bear,  
No more sickness, no pain,  
No more parting over there;  
And forever I will be,  
With the One who died for me,  
What a day, glorious day that will be._"

The GC guards tried to silence to singing believers, but they would not listen.

"What are you going to do? Kill us again?" one retorted.

Leon was yelling, but Jack couldn't separate it from everything else to understand what he was saying. He barely was able to turn to Fortunato and tell him that he had to get home. He mumbled something about his family waiting and it being late and having a kid to put to bed. Then he all but fled through the back door that was nearby, ignoring the thuds and cheers as he burst out into the fresh air.

He'd driven himself here, thank goodness; he stumbled to his truck and around to the side that couldn't be seen from inside the building, and leaned against the cold metal and broke into sobs. Jack tried to ignore the other sounds, and focus only on the song coming from inside as he climbed into the truck and got away as fast as he could.

_What a day that will be,  
When my Jesus I shall see,  
And I look upon His face,  
The One who saved me by His grace;  
When He takes me by the hand,  
And leads me through the Promised Land,  
What a day, glorious day that will be

* * *

_

Vala was down in the shelter with George, waiting for Daniel to come down so they could have a small-group study session. The phone had rung on the way down and he'd gone back to get it.

George Hammond was sitting on the floor against the wall across from her, and she sat on the edge of the cot closest to the doorway. The retired general was looking at the crystal walls of the small shelter.

"You know, as much as these walls look like those Tok'ra tunnels, sometimes I almost forget that I'm still on Earth when I'm in here. That's a good feeling, though; it reminds me of the old days."

She sat forward curiously. "I thought you were the commander of the SGC back then--that you didn't go off-world."

He smiled. "Well, not usually. But I got my chances. Those were the days, all right. Is it so wrong that I'm all but looking forward to being off this planet again?"

Vala smiled back a little. "No. I guess not. But then again, I'm biased. I was born out there."

There was noise from the stairs; they twisted to see Daniel coming down them slowly. She couldn't see his face until he slipped into the shelter, and then she realized that it was red and damp.

"Oh no…" she breathed. He dropped onto the edge of the cot beside her, face in his hands, and Vala wrapped her arms around him.

Hammond sat up, worried. "What is it, son?"

Daniel didn't say anything for a moment, and Vala rubbed his back in a steady motion until he sat up a little and let his hands fall away from his face. "Jack and the others in New Babylon couldn't do anything for the captured church, and…they did mark application for prisoners there last night," he swallowed.

Vala went pale. "But….that means…"

He nodded grimly. "Almost fifty believers died last night," he whispered.

"Then the other Jack…Jon…he's gone?" George asked quietly.

Daniel nodded. "And his wife--he married Ana, the girl he'd been dating, just a few days ago," he sighed. "But…well, there is good news."

Vala grimaced. "Besides the fact that those people are in a better place now, what could possibly be good?"

"Well…according to Jack, only about thirty believers were captured at the underground church meeting. By the time the all of prisoners got to the mark application site at the detention center, there were about fifty." He sat up straight finally. "They went out bringing more into the kingdom. I almost envy them. No, I _do_ envy them." He got a faraway look on his face. "If I can't survive until the glorious appearing, I want to go out like that."


	53. Crash World

Well, the musical had to end, then we had a couple of field trips, school projects, people looking at our house so we had to be cleaning it...bla bla bla. But here I am! I didn't forget this story! Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it, and please let me know. Thanks! :)

Edit Note: Sorry! It's not Buck and 'Tsion' in Tel Aviv, its Buck and 'Chaim'. I knew that; I must have typed the wrong name. It's been fixed now. :P

Chapter 53

The news about Jon and the other believers in New Babylon--and those in Greece that had died the same way--hit all of them hard at first, and it wasn't even the end of the problems. Jack called only two afternoons later during a meeting with more complicating news.

"_Remember that Chinese kid I mentioned before? Chang? Well, we've kind of got a problem--or we did. They forced the mark on him._" According to Jack, his mark of the believer was there just as clear as ever, right beside the small loyalty mark on his forehead, but the genius boy was still wary, and a little scared.

But they were going to make the best of it. Chang had convinced David that he should stay in New Babylon. He already had the loyalty mark; no one would question him. For a while, at least, he would be as safe in New Babylon as anyone could be. He would still be able to access all of the monitoring systems David had integrated into the palace, be able to legally buy things the Trib Force might need, and keep them up to date on the plans from New Babylon. It also meant they didn't have to come up with a reason for Chang to be on the plane with them when they left.

Right now, it seemed like it was going to work.

"_But David's playing half-interested, like he's not sure he'll take the on in his department, just so no one suspects any connection when we all disappear, if they ever figure out we didn't just die. So Chang's still able to meet with other department heads, and David will be able to make sure I get to meet him--under the guise of interviewing him. The kid won't know what I really do, but it won't be hard to get him to my office for an interview, because if I really did want him, Stargate Command still takes precedence over David's department any day, no matter how important it is,_" Jack told them. "_No one will question me wanting to see him. He is a genius after all--just the kind of person the SGC would want if it was still running normally._"

He made sure they knew all the latest details of the escape, and had their information on operation there in the states, before hanging up.

"_I'll keep you updated,_" he promised. "_See you guys soon_."

* * *

Jack came out of his office after making whatever phone call he'd been making, and dropped onto the couch. Sara came in from the kitchen and sat beside him.

"Hey," he smiled weakly. He'd been like that for a couple of days, subdued, but she didn't really know why. He hadn't said anything.

"Hi," she answered, kissing him briefly. "What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

Sara lean against him from the side and sighed. "Don't give me that, Jack. I know you. Something's wrong."

He looked down at her, appeared to think about it for a moment, and finally said, "Yea…you're right."

She sat up a little more. "So what is it then?"

Jack grimaced. "You remember that church bust we heard about on the other side of the city earlier this week? What happened to them?" She nodded. "Yea…I knew a couple of those people."

Sara eyebrows went. "You never said anything about them. Jack, I'm so sorry…"

He shrugged sadly. "They're in Heaven now. I didn't know them all that well, but…you know; we'd met several times. There wasn't really a reason to mention them or anything…"

She hugged him hard. "Well next time don't wait so long to tell me. You've been hurting and I didn't know why."

He sighed heavily. "I know….but in a couple of weeks or so, I'll be able to tell you everything. You'll understand then."

"I can't wait," she smiled.

"I'm warning you though; it's a _looooong_ story."

"My favorite kind."

Jack smiled back for the first time in a few days, and kissed her again, a little longer this time. "I love you."

She settled against him and curled up a little more. They sat that way for a few minutes, just together.

"Where's Gavin?" Jack asked eventually.

"Playing games on the computer," Sara chuckled. "It's funny how even kids that small can do that easily these days."

"Tell me about it."

There were another few moment of comfortable silence, until Sara finally spoke up quietly. "Jack…I think there are some things we should talk about…"

He sighed again. "I know…" he trailed.

She sat up again. "That could happen to us…I know we don't like to think about it, but it could. We need to agree on who we should ask to ask care of Gavin if that happens."

Jack shrugged and grimaced. "Daniel and Vala. No question. Unless you have any objections. Sam and Simon would be more than fine too, but they've got Jenny, and I've known Daniel and little longer--to be fair. It makes more sense anyway, I guess…"

Sara nodded slowly. "That sounds fine…I like both of them--all four of them." She tried make light of it. "I guess it comes down to whichever of them is still alive."

"Oh, thank you; that's comforting."

She tried to laugh again, but quickly fell silent and leaned her head on his shoulder. "What if something happens to just one of us?" she said quietly.

Jack's arms wrapped around her gently. "Then we go on living for the cause until this is all over and we see each other again," he answered gently. "Though I hope it doesn't come to that."

More silence.

"I told you that after we get out of here with David and the rest of them that we have to get back to the states, right?"

She nodded. "You did. Something about there being a place there for us to stay safe…"

"Something like that….more like a means for us to get somewhere relatively safe…but whatever."

Sara didn't bother turning to look at him. She just smiled to herself a little. "This has something to do with all of that stuff you haven't been able to tell me about for the past fifteen years, doesn't it?"

She felt him chuckle some. "Yea. But you know I can't say anything else yet."

"That's all right; like you said, it'll only be a couple of weeks."

"Get ready for that long story."

* * *

Less than a week before the escape of the believers in New Babylon, Jenny sat at home reading that Saturday afternoon. She jerked when she heard a knock on the door. Who would be coming here? Warily she set her book on her night stand and wondered out into the living room. Someone knocked again. She would have just answered, but she was home alone. She check through the peep-hole first.

Immediately after that she jumped back, flung open the door and threw herself into the arm of the young man on the other side.

"Shane!"

He stumbled back a couple of steps and laughed a little. "Whoa! Hi to you too, Jenny." He set her back on the ground, stepped inside and closed the door behind him, all the while being peppered with questions.

"What are you doing here? Is something wrong? Or did you have a school break? What's going on?"

Shane winced to himself. "I plead an emergency and took off from school. Things were getting way too dangerous there, and with the atmosphere there and everywhere all pro-Carpathia with his Jerusalem stint coming up in a few days…well, I've done all I can do. There _are_ more believers there than when I went back, and I had something to do with it, but that's as far as I'm going to get. It's all right though….I did what He wanted. But yesterday I think he was telling me to just get out of there before I got killed."

Her mouth pressed into a thin line. "That Jeremy guy?" She almost spit the name.

"Yea…he'd been at my throat ever since Carpathia's assassination; it doesn't matter that I had nothing to do with it."

Jenny managed to quirk a little smile. "Sorry for getting you into all of this."

"Don't be," he smiled. "But I am glad to be back. It's a good thing we don't have classes during the whole Jerusalem thing. I'll never have to go back."

"So what then? Is your entire dorm room in your car?"

"Of course not. It would have been stupid to bring everything. That would give me away immediately; someone would come looking."

"Good; you're just a smart as you are cute," she teased.

He went a little red. "Well…I-I wouldn't say that…Uh, where are Sam and Simon, anyway?"

"At work. So you're back? You're not going anywhere?"

"Not until we have to go into hiding, no."

"Good." With that, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Shane kissed back after a few seconds' surprise wore off, but a moment later pulled back, and held her at arms' length to look at her. "What was that for?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I have to spell it out for you?"

He sighed and pulled her into an embrace. "Listen…I know. I know what you're getting at, I promise. But don't you think this is a really bad time to be thinking about things like that?"

She pulled back forcefully. "No, I think right now is the _only_ time to be thinking about it! Shane, in a week I leave with my new family, and I don't even know where!"

"And I can't come unless I'm family, and I'm not. I know. I heard, remember?"

Jenny scowled. "I understand why they had to do that--sort of--something about having to cut it off somewhere because there just wasn't enough room to get everybody there, wherever we're going….which is why only people who work at or are connected with the place Sam works and their families can come. But it's still frustrating. We have to leave so many people behind."

"Yes, but I know for a fact that you've all been helping everyone here find other places to go for the next three and a half years, or build shelters of their own. You've been doing more than anyone would expect of you. We'll all be fine here. You should go, if the place they're taking you is any safer."

She swallowed. "It probably is, but that's not the only reason I want you to come."

"I know…" he sighed. "But there's nothing we can do about it. I won't let you stay here. You need to go; you need to be with your family, and stay as safe as you can."

"We could get married. Then you'd be family, and you could come. Vegas is only ten or twelve hours away, and we've got almost a week. We could go to one of those cheap no-questions-asked chapels, maybe even the one that looks like the Starship Enterprise…" Her rushed words died away when she saw the incredulous look on his face.

"Okay, now you're just going _Deep Impact_ on me."

Jenny turned away in frustration. "Well, what else am I supposed to do?? I don't want to leave you behind."

He turned her back around. "It's only three and a half years…you'll be all right," he smiled gently. "Besides; you'll be with plenty of other people that care about you."

"But--"

"No buts. Listen….it's not like I don't think I'd ever want to marry you sometime….like when both of us are _older_. But even if we weren't as young as we are, I'd tell you that this isn't a good time."

"That's what everyone says about everything…we can't do anything anymore…"

"Aw, that's not true. Besides, if none of this had happened, I wouldn't have met you. You wouldn't want that would you?"

Finally she smiled again. "No…not really."

"Then promise me that you'll go and stop complaining." He hesitated, but only to take a breath. "If you promise me that, then I'll promise you that if it still works that way in the Millennial Kingdom, I'll marry you then--when we see each other again."

Jenny looked up at him for a long moment. "You promise?"

"Three and a half years…you'll be twenty-one. That's perfect," he smiled.

She studied him for a moment longer, but didn't find anything in his face to tell her he was kidding. She grinned. "I'll hold you to that."

Shane pulled her to him again and laughed. "I hope you do."

* * *

There was a knock on Jack's office door in the palace, and he looked up expectantly. "Come in," he called. Didn't want to appear too eager; that was why he didn't open the door himself. They still had a game to play with the bad guys before they left.

The door opened, a young Chinese boy stepped in and closed the door behind him, looking bored.

"Have a seat," Jack told him, motioning to the chair on the other side of his desk. Chang Wong plopped himself down unceremoniously. Jack watch him, smiling to himself a little and wondering when he was going to look up. "Well?"

The boy looked up in confusion, and visibly jerked a little in surprise. "Whoa! Director Hassid didn't tell me I was meeting--"

"Another believer? Of course not. Have to make sure we keep this cat and mouse thing going. Want to make sure you end up in the department you end up in in what seems like a natural order of things, and all that."

He raised an eyebrow. "So am I supposed to end up in this one?"

"Ah, no, sorry."

"Shoot."

Jack smirked. "Heard tell of the 'top-secret' stuff in my department, huh?"

Chang quirked a smile. "Maybe a little."

He shrugged. "Well, even if there is anything, I couldn't tell you. And besides, trust me--you don't want to be in my department right now. It'll be bad enough here, and you can do more here anyway."

"Okay. If you say so. But if you can't tell me what you do, why are you interviewing me?"

"So I could meet you before the rest of us leave."

The boy sat up a little more. "Ah. Okay then. Nice to meet you."

* * *

Sam set another crate down, and then stretched a little. "Good grief! You'd think escaping your own planet wouldn't be this complicated…"

Jennifer Hailey set her own load down and leaned back against the pile of crates at the rendezvous end of the tunnel in the woods near the mountain. "So why are we moving these?"

"We moved them in here months ago, but they all needed to be closer to the end so we can get them on the ships faster when they get here later this week."

Hailey sighed. "I'm so new to all of this…I've only been a believer for a few shirt weeks, and now we're leaving Earth. I mean….not that I don't like it out there. 'Out there' is the only place I've ever wanted to be, but now that we're leaving, and we can't come back for so long…" She shook her head and shrugged.

Sam sighed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I know. It's weird, but we don't have a whole lot of choice. We have the ability to do so much more out there than stuck here the whole time; we have an obligation to take the opportunity."

"I guess so. Not that I want to stay or anything--not with Carpathia ruling the planet…." She smirked. "And to think a month ago I thought he was god. They way he was before he didn't seem so bad, but what he's been doing since he came back to life…" She grimaced.

"Hey….pretty much everybody was fooled for a little while."

"Even if only for a few minutes?" Hailey smirked. "You don't have to make me feel better, Sam. I was stupid, and I know it."

"Well, we can all be stupid," she told her with a smile."

Hailey rolled her eyes. "All right! I get it: Stop being down on myself. Can you leave me alone now?"

Sam laughed. "Never. Now come on and help the rest of us finish moving this stuff."

* * *

The last week in New Babylon was spent in almost constant preparation and organization, which was a little difficult when not all of them had logical excuses to meet. But still they prepared.

They planned what to bring. They couldn't bring anything unusual for a normal trip. It had to appear as if they were planning on returning. For Jack and his family, it wouldn't matter because they would be offworld, but if they didn't do things like the others did, and it looked as if _they_ weren't planning on coming back, the others would be suspected, so they O'Neills stuck to the plan.

As Hannah told them all, "Resist the temptation to take everything you need for the rest of your life." Sound advice. For this operation, anyway.

They all did things like leaving clothes strewn about, living areas not properly cleaned completely, change on dressers, having things scheduled for the days after their scheduled return…

And they prayed that it would all work out for them in the end.

* * *

"Oh, Leon…" Carpathia called Fortunato back once the other officials had left his newly enlarged office.

Fortunato turned. "Yes, Your Excellency?"

"You believe that I know all, do you not?"

He blinked. "Of course, Your Excellency. You are our god."

Carpathia smiled. "Of course. Now…I need you to do something for me. I believe that we are having a bit more trouble in Colorado than many believe."

"What do you mean, my lord?"

He picked up a folder. "Stargate Command has reserved an area of government land, woods near the mountain but out in the middle of nowhere. They plan to use it for training maneuvers later this week. But why, I wonder, would they do that here, where they run the risk of being discovered by civilians who do not know of the stargate? They could easily run these operations off-world."

"There must be a reason. General Landry is on our side, yes?"

Carpathia raised an eyebrow. "Is he? No, Leon, I believe that our friend Hank Landry may have changed side on us."

"Surely not."

"Ah ah, Leon, you are questioning me."

Fortunato looked sufficiently humbled. "I-I am sorry, Your Excellency," he said quickly. "Of course you are right. He must have turned. But what are we to do?"

"Have that site investigated, Leon. They are up to something."

"Of course, my lord."

Leon scurried away, and Carpathia sat behind his expansive desk. He began to hum quietly, happily, and then to sing a little tune of his own making, that he had not long ago ironed out to be introduced in Tel Aviv soon.

_Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king;_

_Hail Carpathia, rules o'er everything._

_We'll worship him until we die;_

_He's our beloved Nicolae._

_Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king._

* * *

The day of the great escape, all of their brothers and sisters in the states were praying for them, and everything went according to plan. The plane was over-loaded, and the cargo master said so--in writing. Their plan was working like a charm. Mac, having flown long enough, knew that the plane could take it and that he could fly it, and that was what he told them. But later, it would still look just like that was what had caused the accident.

They took off with permission, but the tower still tried to call them back, almost begging them to land again and lighten the load--or at least agree to abandon the airshow idea on the other end of the trip. Mac, brilliant as he was, made it seem as if the radio were malfunctioning and he didn't get the second request. But arranged a stop halfway there, supposedly to offload some cargo.

Instead of having cargo driven to Tel Aviv, Leah Rose met them where they landed in Jordan, and the fake victims stayed down on the floor of the van she drove (bogusly approved by the GC, of course) until they were out of the airport. Then Mac remotely set the pre-programmed flight in motion, putting the plane back into the air.

An improvised airstrip base in the Negev for what was being called Operation Eagle--an endeavor mostly by the original Trib Force to make sure that there was transportation for the Christian Jews out of Jerusalem later, when Carpathia got there and went crazy on them--was set up at near Mizpe Ramon, and that was where they headed next.

That was after Mac again, remotely, talked this time to the Jordan tower and made it seem as if he wished he'd offloaded more cargo, and that the plane was still being buggy, and the radio wasn't working properly. He cut off the connection, and left it at that. The plane was programmed to do the rest, and Buck and Chaim were in Tel Aviv to see the big show themselves and report back. Chaim was also to be the one to lead the Jews out of Jerusalem, and to the Operation Eagle sites, so that they could be transported to the ancient city of Petra by helicopter or otherwise. This was going to fulfill the prophecy of the Jews being protected in a city for three-and-a-half years.

It was amazing, sometimes, how things unfolded.

* * *

The Tribulation Force contingents in the states watched anxiously from living rooms at home, through the television as every news station covered the festivities in Tel Aviv.

The VIPs arrived at the platform, and Carpathia was as energetic as ever. After he was introduced, Leon dropped to his knees before him, and then went to the podium, where he taught the crowd the new anthem of the world, the short song Carpathia himself had written--"Hail Carpathia, Our Lord and Risen King". He sang it himself, and the whole thing was sickening.

Next was the much anticipated airshow. The crowd was abuzz, but the crowd in Sam and Simon's living room was tense.

The plane soared in, flew close over the crowds' heads. They 'ooohed' and 'aaahhhed'; the believers prayed. But however it turned out, it would be how it should; they already knew there friends were safe, off of the plane and on their way to Mizpe Ramon to meet Rayford, Albie, and the hoard of volunteers for Operation Eagle that were at the strip in the Negev.

David had even managed to make it look in GC computers like there was some type of GC operation going on there, so that if any satellites picked up there position, nothing would look suspicious--for a while, anyway. When this all got started, Carpathia's people would know what was going on right away. They trusted for God's leading and protection when that time came.

The show was spectacular. Mac had done a wonderful job programming it all in. It was amazing that all of that _could_ be programmed in.

Well, it was wonderful until the plane went up, came down in a piercing nosedive, and didn't pull out.

The Quasi Two seemed almost to be accelerating as it free-fell. The crowd laughed and watched with anticipation for the final pull-out near the ground. But the plane veered, not over the ocean, but over the shore about three-quarters of a mile away, where there was nothing but sand.

It hit the ground at near the speed of sound, delaying the sound of it until half a second later, when the crowd and everyone watching via television heard the deafening impact and explosion, and saw the twisted metal go up in a ball of flame--ostensibly taking seven people with it.

There was stunned silence at first. Then one by one, people in the crowd cried out, screamed. They were safe, away from the scene of the crash, so no one moved, but the entire crowd panicked where they stood. They didn't calm until Carpathia began to speak softly over the PA system, and they all turned numbly toward him as he gave out his false compassion.

(Direct quotes from Tel Aviv in this scene from "The Mark")

"Peace be unto you. My Peace I give you. Not as the world gives. Would you please quietly make your way from this place, honoring it as the sacred place of the end of brave employees. I will ask that the loyalty mark application site be appropriately relocated, and thank you for your reverence during this tragedy."

Carpathia stepped back and urged Leon forward with a few whispered words. The leader of Carpathianism stepped forward and spoke to the crowd briefly, before the VIPs left the area.

"Beloved, while this sadly concludes today's activities in Tel Aviv, tomorrow's agenda shall remain in place. We look forward to your presence in Jerusalem."

The small crowd in the Dockett's living room remained still, stunned. What would happen now? The plane wasn't in the water. They might search the wreckage.

Since Buck was there somewhere, he would call Rayford and anyone else who didn't have access to a television, to warn them what had happened; there was nothing for the SG-1 Trib Force contingent to do.

Except pray for their friends, and wait for the next day, when all hell would break loose--starting in Jerusalem.


	54. Desecration

Whew! There is a 'lot' of informationg and a LOT of stuff going on in "Desecration", so translation took a while. Sorry about that guys. So anyway, here's the next chapter. _Please_ do review if you're still with me, and don't worry; things will get better once they get off earth and I can write more of my own stuff, lol. :P Thanks!

Chapter 54

The group in the van headed for Mizpe Ramon spent the night a mile and a half off the road parked behind a rock outcropping midway between the airport in Amman, Jordan, where they were picked up, and their destination in the Negev Desert

The group in the van headed for Mizpe Ramon spent the night a mile and a half off the road parked behind a rock outcropping midway between the airport in Amman, Jordan, where they were picked up, and their destination in the Negev Desert. They could have driven at night as well, but they all needed rest, and they didn't need to lead the GC to the Operation Eagle base.

There were only four long bench seats in the van--not enough for all eight of them to stretch out. Most of them slept sitting up leaning against the backs of their seats or the walls. The O'Neill family took the back bench, and Jack and Sara took either end and let Gavin lay down between them.

Early the next morning they took off again, Leah still driving with David in the passenger seat beside her working on his laptop. Their collection of bags--the one each they had decided they would be allowed to bring--bounced in the back, where the GC thought some of the cargo from the plane was supposed to be. But they had dumped, destroyed, and hidden the remains of those soon after leaving the renamed resurrection Airport.

About nine that morning and only an hour from the airstrip, David told Leah to pull over, and Mac instructed her to hide the van to keep from looking conspicuous. Apparently there was a problem with Chang, and they needed to hear what Tsion had to say about it.

As Leah headed off the road to find a hiding place, Abdullah fastened his seatbelt against her driving. "You would think it was the end of the world," he said, seeming to be completely serious.

Mac rolled his eyes. "Hilarious."

(All direct quotes from others in this scene besides the O'Neills, unless directed at the O'Neills, are from "Desecration" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.)

When they were parked and hidden, they opened the van and got out to stretch their legs while David read Tsion's account of a back-and-forth he'd had with Chang on the phone just a few minutes before. According to him, Chang was having second thought about the whole duel-mark thing. He'd even come to a point of wanting to kill himself. Tsion had talked him out of that part, but the boy was still miserable.

"Oh dear…" Sara worried.

Abdullah frowned. "That does not sound good. What to do?"

"I'd take a tone with that boy," Mac suggested in typical Southern fashion.

"No kidding," Jack scowled.

David nodded and started to type an e-mail reply to Chang. "Just what I was thinking. Somebody update Rayford while I'm working here."

"Got it covered," Mac told him, already flipping open his phone.

Sara sighed and turned to her husband. "I don't suppose there's anything we can do, is there?"

"Besides pray for the kid, no, not really," Jack winced, and then lowered his voice. "Especially since we'll be gone in a few days anyway."

"You still can't tell me where, can you?" she asked, smiling in amusement.

"Nope," he grinned back.

Gavin jumped at their feet. "Nope! Nope, nope, nope!"

On the phone with Rayford, Mac told him about David's new plan to have someone fly him into Petra ahead of anyone else, to set up computers and connectivity for the place. They would need a good computer base there.

Soon they were back on the road, and less then an hour later they had reached the strip outside of Mizpe Ramon, where the Operation Eagle base was. There were hugs and handshakes all around, as well as introductions--mainly of Hannah to the other believers not from New Babylon who didn't know her personally yet. Gavin was overjoyed to see "Uncle Rayford" again, and Steele commented that it was good to see him too, especially since his grandson Kenny was back in the states with Tsion and his mother.

"I think you'd like Kenny, Gavin. I can't wait until you two can really meet each other," Rayford grinned, before heading off with David to show him where he could set up his computer with a power supply so that he could keep tabs on Carpathia and friends.

Jack called the Jacksons to let them know they had arrived, and that they were fine and everything was running smoothly so far.

They were glad to hear it. Everyone was already starting to gather there, because they had been at the Docketts' the day before. Today, instead of the events at Tel Aviv, there was Carpathia's blasphemous ride down the Via Dolorosa that would begin at 1100 a.m. Jerusalem time. As much as it made any believer shudder just to think of the idea, they weren't going to miss it.

Jack made Daniel promise to keep him updated. He wouldn't be anywhere near a computer, normal radio, or television. Sara and Gavin were already being shown the temporary quarters where they would stay until they were ferried to Petra whenever Carpathia set in motion the flight of the Jews in Jerusalem, but Jack would be helping with Operation Eagle from now until they had to get back to the states to meet their friends and the Tok'ra ships.

It wasn't long before Rayford gathered everyone--and Jack had to be surprised at the sheer _number_ of the volunteers, vehicles, and choppers--on the airstrip to explain roles and set the operation in motion. He mention that Albie would be the one to fly David ahead to Petra to establish the communications center, and that David, who was born Jewish, would be staying in the city with his brethren.

Someone else asked how long their going undetected could last, even the GC currently fooled into thinking it was a movement of their own people here.

"We're in no-man's-land," Rayford admitted. "Once the fleeing Israelis are followed here, it will be obvious what we are doing. As you know, the healthy will walk here. But it is quite a journey, and the GC should quickly overtake them. We believe God ill protect them. The elderly, the toddlers, and the infirm will need rides. You will recognize them by the mark of the believer and probably also by the fear on their faces. Anyone arriving here in any manner should be transported immediately to Petra by helicopter. Some of these birds have huge capacities, so fill 'em up. Petra is about fifty miles southeast of here. You all have the flight plans."

Someone called, "It sounds like a death flight."

"By any human standards it is, but we are the wings of the eagle." They trusted God would protect them in getting the people into Petra.

* * *

Those of the Trib Force SG-1 gathered in the Jacksons' living room to watch the television screen, but there was no popcorn, and no merriment. This wasn't a movie--this was the Antichrist. Sam had been on the phone with Chloe and Tsion in Chicago, and knew that they were just as glued to the screen as the rest of them, besides Tsion's monitoring the internet.

The TV screen showed Jerusalem, and it was obvious that Carpathia was no longer pretending to be the pacifist he had never been. Tanks, military trucks, and GC troops lined the streets among the joyous people with their either fake or real palm branches. It was disgusting.

Finally, an exec convoy appeared, and disgorged Leon Fortunato in his clerical robes, who led the crowds in the new praise song to Carpathia. The crowd sang loudly and enthusiastically. The only curiosity was that Fortunato seemed extremely uncomfortable. He kept scratching as he directed.

_Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king;_

_Hail Carpathia, rules o'er everything._

_We'll worship him until we die;_

_He's our beloved Nicolae._

_Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king._

Then, as Carpathia's car pulled up, he went through it with the crowd again, and Daniel, ever the linguist, made up his own version as it played.

_Bail, Carpathia, you crazy idiotic thing_

_Bail, Carpathia, for you'll rule o'er nothing_

_Bail, Carpathia, while you still can_

_Or you'll rot in hell and get a bad tan_

_Bail, Carpathia, you crazy idiotic thing_

The car door was opened, and Nicolae Carpathia bounded out of the car wearing a white robe, golden sandal and a silver belt. It couldn't have been more ridiculous. The only thing that was worse was the humongous pig several guards started to lead down from a large truck. It was moving slowly and had obviously been drugged to keep it calm, and it was even wearing a custom-made leather saddle.

Vala scowled. "What in the world…?"

"He's going to ride _that _down the Via Dolorosa," Sam said incredulously.

Simon's eyebrows were up as far as they would go. "The desecration of the temple should happen soon. What better to do it with than a pig? What is more repulsive and offensive to a Jew?"

Daniel shook his head. "I knew he was disgusting, but I didn't think even he would sink that low."

"Welcome to the Great Tribulation," Carolyn said dryly.

After Carpathia mounted the pig and the crowds cheered the broadcast followed the nauseating spectacle all the way to near the site of Calvary, where the pig seemed to have had it. Its front legs buckled, and Nicolae was almost tossed on his head. The crowds loved it.

Carpathia got out of the way as the pig was loaded back onto the truck to be taken to the temple, and Carpathia strode confidently up the side of Calvary's mountain to the traditional site of the crucifixion. Luckily, there was no mock-up of _that_. It was apparent that Carpathia planned not to address the crowds until the Garden Tomb or the temple Mount, because he let Leon do all the talking for him here as he simple stood triumphantly where he was. But the people still worshipped him.

The sky blackened of a sudden, and the people looked on the verge of panic and started looking for shelter. Fortunato shouted to the crowd.

(Direct quotes from the television in this scene from "Desecration")

"You need not move if you are loyal to your risen ruler! I have been imbued with the power from on high to call down fire on the enemies of the king of this world."

"Again?" Vala muttered. "Didn't he do enough of that at the funeral?"

Daniel winced, feeling a pang of sadness for David and his lost fiancé.

On the screen, the people cried out and waved and praised to declare their loyalty as the thunder rolled, and Fortunato went on to tell them again that today they would all have an opportunity to take the mark and worship the image of Carpathia at the Temple Mount. In his speech he three in quotes of Jesus, making them all clench their teeth in disgust.

Next Fortunato spoke out against those not loyal to Carpathia, causing the crowds to fear and scream out their loyalty even more. "You shall not be able to stand against the all-seeing eye of your god and his servant!" he cried.

"And I'm a monkey's uncle," Landry snorted from his seat.

Fortunato fell silent, eyes piercing the crowds even as he scratched. Even the thousand of people became silent, wondering what he would do next. Carpathia was still holding a benevolent pose. And then a screeching voice cried from the crowd. The cameras didn't move from Fortunato and Carpathia, and the voice seemed a little distorted by the airwaves, but they heard what a woman screamed from the base of the mount.

"Liars! Blasphemers! Antichrist! False Prophet! Woe unto you who would take the place of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! You shall not prevail against the God of heaven!"

"I have spoken!" Fortunato shouted back.

"Yours is the empty, vain tongue of the damned!" the voice called back. "As He is my witness, there is one God and one mediator between God and menthe man Jesus Christ!"

Fortunato pointed, and the cameras turned just in time to catch a ball of fire dropping from the black sky to envelope the form of a woman. The masses screamed in terror and ran away from the site even if they were already far away from the woman. As the fire dissipated, the black clouds rolled back, the sun reappeared, and the charred body of the woman toppled in a soft breeze, broke into ash and scattered.

The group in the Jacksons' living room gasped. A couple of them stood from their seats in shock.

"Oh no…" Vala swallowed.

Jennifer Hailey shuddered. "Did I really just see what I thought I saw?"

"Unfortunately, yeah," Jenny told her, as Shane pulled her into his arms.

Leon called from his perch, summoning the crowds to look to him again. "Marvel not that I say unto you, all power has been given to me in heaven and on earth!"

Daniel's jaw clenched as he stole more words from the Son of God. "Does he have to do that?"

"I think it makes him feel more important," Reynolds said, shaking his head.

Sam shook her head. "As much as they hate us, they read the Bible enough."

Simon nodded. "I think they have to. Carpathia won't admit it to anyone, but he knows that everything is going according to the plan. He probably uses the scripture to make sure he knows what's going to happen next. That could either be good, _or_ bad for us."

At the garden tomb, Fortunato had disappeared, and it fell to new Supreme Commander Walter Moon to address the crowd, which he was clearly not prepared for. Word was that the reverend had gone ahead to make preparations for the Potentate at the temple mount, but a forwarded e-mail from David later made it clear that he was receiving medical attention for some kind of sore. That would explain the scratching.

Not much later than that, Daniel's computer beeped, and he left the couch to check an urgent new e-mail from Tsion that had been sent to all members of both Trib Forces. Vala came up behind him as he groaned once he'd finished reading it.

"What is it, Daniel?"

"Mute the TV," he said immediately. She frowned, but went back o the other side of the living room and did what he said. Everyone looked at her when she did it, and she motioned for them to look at him instead.

He stood from the chair in front of the computer and gestured back at it with a sigh. "I just got a message from Doctor Ben-Judah. He just got a timed e-mail from Hattie Durham." He told them that the message from Hattie had told of how an angel had appeared to her in her hotel room and spoken to her. She had understood that she should speak out against Carpathia publicly.

"It was her that Fortunato killed," he told them grimly. "She paid the ultimate price for it." None of them really knew her, but it was sad news still. She was a good friend of many in the original Tribulation Force, and most of them knew Rayford and some of the others.

"But we know where she is; she was no longer an unbeliever," Simon added gently.

Sam grimaced. "True, dear, but _please_ don't use that word."

He frowned in confusion. "Which word?"

"_Unbeliever_," Vala told him. "In case you haven't noticed, we usually specifically avoid that word." The last thing any of them wanted to think about now was the whole Ori thing.

He blinked. "Why?"

"Long story," all of SG-1 plus General Landry said together.

Simon looked around at all of those who worked in the SGC. "I suppose it's one you can't tell me," he said, catching on a little.

"No," they all echoed.

That was when they realized that Carpathia was about to come out, and they dropped the subject and turned the sound back on just as the Potentate came out from behind a curtain draped near the tomb. After what had happened at calvary, the people weren't as excited anymore, were more wary. They only applauded, but that was enough for Carpathia to jump in immediately.

"I was never entombed!" he cried to the crowd. "I lay in state for three days for the world to see. Someone was said to have risen from this spot, but where is he? Did you ever see him? If he was God, why is he not still here? Some would have you believe it was he behind the disappearances that so crippled our world. What kind of a God would do that? And the same people would have you believe I am the antithesis of this great One. Yet you _saw_ me resurrect _myself_! I stand here among you, god on earth, having taken my rightful place. I accept your allegiance."

Carpathia bowed, and Moon prompted the people to repeat the phrase "He is risen." But it wasn't loud enough for the Commander, and he made them do it again, and slowly clapping started again, until Moon stopped it by raising a hand.

"We are providing you with the opportunity to worship your potentate and his image at the Temple Mount, and there you may express your eternal devotion by accepting the mark of loyalty. Do not delay. Do not put this off. Be able to tell your descendants that His Excellency personally was there the day you made your pledge concrete."

As a helicopter came near to land and take Carpathia and his ilk to the Temple Mount, Moon lowered his voice as if to make his next statement seem like an afterthought--though they all knew it wasn't. "And please remember that neither the mark of loyalty nor the worshipping of the image is optional."

* * *

From that afternoon to the next day, the world watched a swirl of events. As mark application sites opened all over the world, GC personnel were required to be the first in line. Denver, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction were the only sites in Colorado, so the believers of the SGC had good excuse not to have taken the mark yet, if anyone asked. They only needed that excuse to last a few days, thank goodness. The fact that the commander of the SGC was a believer and wouldn't be turning anyone in helped, too. And their friends in Israel didn't have to worry about that at the moment; they were assumed dead.

Those they knew that were not leaving the planet were already making preparations to move into their shelters, or were leaving for their hiding places if they hadn't already. As the next twenty-four hours or so went by, movement became easier. Those who took the mark of the beast fell prey to painful boils over their entire body--which was what had been wrong with Leon Fortunato, they discovered in an e-mail from David forwarded from Chang.

In Jerusalem, as evidenced on the news, Chaim began to call himself Micah in public and came against Carpathia repeatedly, with every believer watching cheering him on silently. Chaim challenged the potentate's claim to be a god, and urged him not to retaliate against those who did not take the mark immediately, and to first allow the believers and Orthodox Jews to get out of the city before he struck out at those who were merely being stubborn. Carpathia wasn't buying into it yet; the believers and Orthodox Jews were among those he _wanted_ to retaliate against.

Carpathia prepared to go into the temple, calling on loyalists who had not taken the mark to volunteer top run television equipment as he realized that the boils were connected to having taken it.

And meanwhile Operation Eagle was ready to spring to action as soon as the Jews fled the holy city.

* * *

"There are _what_?"

"There are GC in Petra," Rayford sighed. "Not many, just a few scoping it out. David is the only one there, so as long as he stays out of sight there's nothing to find."

Jack grimaced. "But you're not just going to leave him hanging there, right?"

"Of course not. One of the new volunteers--George Sebastian--he and his people brought a lot of weapons with them to donate to the cause. I was hoping we wouldn't have to use them, and I still don't want to _kill_ anybody, but we're going to take some of them and ride out to Petra to see if we can scare them off."

"Who's _we_?"

"Me, Mac, Able, Abdullah, and George."

"What about me?"

He shrugged. "Sorry, Jack. But I need somebody to keep an eye on things around here for me. Besides, if this thing starts before we get back, we're already five pilots short. We don't need it to be six."

"Aw come on, Ray…"

"Not buts, man, I'm in charge here, remember?" he smirked. "You're the oldest, anyway."

Jack crossed his arms. "Hey, I'm not older than you and Mac by _much_."

"You're the one with the grey hair."

"So!"

Rayford clapped him on the back. "Calm down, buddy. It'll be fine."

He huffed. "All right, just come back alive."

"Will do. We don't even plan to be seen."

"Then how are you supposed to scare them off?"

"We have a bunch of those DEW things--directed energy weapons. Something about they heat up the moisture on the skin and hurt a lot without even really causing burns. Should be convenient. And we've got the big guns to blow up their vehicles with…"

Jack shook his head. "You guys have all the fun."

"Hey, I'd trade with you if I could."

"No you wouldn't."

"Oh?"

"Long story. Anyway, get out of here before I decide not to be so nice."

Rayford backed up and headed for the vehicles where the other four heading to Petra were waiting. "Wish us luck. Pray David stays safe."

Jack gave him a mock salute. "You got that, brother."

* * *

With Chaim heckling Carpathia in Jerusalem and people all over the world dropping like flies from the boils, the world held a feeling of barely contained chaos when Nicolae Carpathia finally began his televised 'private tour' of the temple. The coverage was anything but professional, but it was there, and everyone gathered at Colonel Reynolds's house that day. They continued to change locations every day to avoid being reported by any suspicious loyalist citizens.

Carpathia's tour of the temple didn't even begin calmly. Orthodox Jews and believers alike crowded around outside the temple to denounce him as he went in. And as soon as he got past the Court of Women things got hairy. The priests still in the temple refused to leave, and an assistant reluctant to force them to leave or shoot them was shot himself--by Carpathia.

THAT was when things got interesting. Apparently Chang had discovered a way to hack the broadcast and instruct Buck and Chaim to be able to use one of the many television cameras that were doubtlessly strewn all over Jerusalem, because just after Carpathia killed the volunteer assistant, the broadcast cut to a camera focused closely on an old man in a simple brown robe that could be none other than Chaim Rosenzweig. Of course he was unrecognizable to anyone else as he was, but _they_ all knew he was there somewhere. The GC didn't.

"Not only does the evil ruler of this world want to rid the priests of their rightful place in their own temple, but it also appears he has personally committed murder at this holy site." (Yep, quotes from the TV taken from "Desecration")

"All right! Points for our side!" Shane shouted. Everyone looked at him and he shut up so they could hear the rest.

Chaim spoke for another moment, finishing a thought before it switched back to the inside of the temple, and Carpathia arguing with the priest, who finally retreated on grounds that they could not remain there because the potentate had turned the temple into a place of death. Not long after, it cut back to Chaim again, then to Carpathia again, then Chaim…It didn't take long to figure out they were doing it to keep the signal from being traced--and to frustrate Carpathia to no end.

Things got worse when Carpathia cut the curtain to the innermost of the temple--a place he was most definitely, by the Jews' laws, _not_ supposed to go. The scene switched to outside, where Orthodox Jews watching the monitors outside dropped to their knees and tore their clothes. Believers and other Jews alike cried out in opposition. The crowd around the outside of the temple grew rapidly, as did the numbers of those approaching "Micah" to ask to be led in a prayer of salvation.

Within the temple sat a gaudy throne meant for Carpathia that his people had put there, as well as the pig from the day before. Except this time it wasn't drugged, and it strained against ropes held by more volunteers.

"Oh no…" Simon moaned. "This is it."

Carpathia fingered the long knife he had used to cut the heavy curtain of the Holy if Holies. He lunged at the pig, but it jerked out of the way. Carpathia smirked and climbed atop it, holding onto the ropes for balance. Swinging the knife, he caught the animal's throat and slashed it open.

A few of the woman in the living room gasped, and Daniel couldn't help but feel nauseated as the pig sprawled to the floor and pitched the man off of its back.

"I don't believe him," Vala scowled, shaking her head and Carpathia wasted no time plunging his hands into the blood and flinging it across the room.

Sam voiced what everyone else was thinking. "Who would worship as a god a guy who acts like a drunk teenager?"

"A world that knows no better and is too afraid not to," Simon said grimly.

After Carpathia had sat on his throne, the camera was averted as Carpathia went to clean himself in a spray of water from a spigot in the wall. When it focused on him again, he had changed into the robe and sandal of the day before.

"I'm sorry, but _that's_ just ridiculous," Daniel grimaced.

"I don't think you have to tell us that," Reynolds commented dryly.

The crowd was had gone mad by the time Carpathia and his entourage cam back out of the temple. Most of the cameras, equipment, and props for the rest of the 'festivities' Carpathia had planned for the Temple Mount had been trashed and trampled. He was _not_ a happy man.

"You have breached the covenant!" he cried from the steps. "My pledge of seven years of peace for Israel is rescinded! Now you must allow me and my--!" They couldn't hear anymore. The crowd was too loud, and by now they had surrounded the steps. None of them would touch any part of the defiled temple, but neither would they let Carpathia out. Nicolae was doing a horrible job of _not_ looking scared of his pants.

The crowd shouted death threats to the false god until the supernaturally amplified voice of Chaim broke through. "It is not the due time for the man of sin to face judgment, though it is clear he has been revealed!"

Chaim walked silently through the crowd, and they parted for him to approach the furious potentate. "As was foretold centuries ago," Chaim continued, his voice automatically loud enough for all in sight to hear. "God has chosen to allow this evil for a time, and impotent as this enemy of your souls may be today, much more evil will be perpetrated upon you under his hand. When he once again gains advantage, he will retaliate against this presumption on his authority, and you would do well not to be here when his anger is poured out."

Carpathia tried to get back in on the action. "That is right! You will rue the day when you dared--"

"You!" Chaim roared. "You shall let God's chosen ones depart before his curse is lifted, lest you face a worse plague in its place."

This went on, and when Carpathia finally left, and Chaim managed to convince the crowds not to attempt to kill him, the old man turned to the people to issue instructions. He began to tell them about the plan of Operation Eagle and where they should go to gain transportation to Petra, when the GC finally got the transmission cut, and switched back to their studio.

* * *

Jack got a call from Daniel and company in the states not much later, who reported that the news announced that Carpathia had met with 'Micah' and his 'assistant'--Chaim and Buck, they knew--privately, and officially agreed to let the Jews and believers flee the city before doing anything else as far as forcing people to take the mark or retaliating against those who would speak out against him, in exchange for the next plague not falling immediately. Doubtlessly he wanted the current one of boils to be lifted as well, but Chaim could not control that. He couldn't even really control what he 'had' promised. It was all up to God. But so far, apparently that was what he had been led to tell Carpathia.

"Yep, Ray and a few other guys just got back from Petra, and we got a word a few minutes ago. We've got people coming, which means I've got to be ready to fly, so I should go," Jack told him.

Daniel sighed on the other end of the line. "_All right, just be careful. We're pretty sure God will protect those into Petra, but you never know what will happen…_"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…I will. Pray for us."

"_No kidding_."

Jack hung up a moment later, and Sara wrapped her arm around him tightly. "Take care of yourself."

"Yea. I love you. And you take care of Gavin. I'll bring you two in as soon as I can. I want both of you safe until we can get back to the states."

"Don't worry about us," she smiled, and then let go and punched his arm. "Go get 'em, flyboy."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Time to get to work."


	55. Flight to Petra

Lol, again, sorry for the delay, but there were a lot of events in "Desecration" I had to make sure I was keeping straight. Sp anyway, here's some action for you, and I hope you enjoy the chapter. :) I can't wait to hear from all of you. Thanks so much!

Chapter 55

The people on their way to Mizpe Ramon already were coming with those volunteers that were driving ground vehicles. It would take them longer to get there, and in the meantime the pilots had time to get to Jerusalem, pick up more and drop them in Petra before picking up those going to Mizpe Ramon by ground.

The children, elders, and infirm, as well as thousands of others who couldn't find a ground ride to Mizpe Ramon or all the way to Petra were gathering at the Mount of Olives, which was the pickup point for the chopper pilots. The Orthodox Jews were going to Masada, which would be a pick-up site later. Once the place was full, Chaim planned to speak. Hopefully many would listen to the message given by 'Micah' and become believers. Then they would be brought to Petra with the rest of the Jewish believers fleeing the Holy City.

Jack was flying a donated bird someone had acquired from the surplus of the United North American States Army, which meant he was plenty familiar with the controls. It was a large personnel transporter that could fit more than two dozen on board plus him. He felt a little out of place without a copilot, but they had enough choppers for every pilot to fly one, and they needed that if they were going to get all of these people into Petra as quickly as possible.

He had picked up his first load from the Mount of Olives and was heading for Petra when he got a call from Mac, who told him that Ray had changed plans after hearing a patched-in conversation between Carpathia and his people from the mechanism on the 216…and a certain phone call.

"No stopping at Mizpe Ramon? Mac, what's going on?" he kept his voice loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bird, but not loud enough for his passengers to overhear.

"_The GC know about the strip, Jack. We're afraid it might be targeted. Ray, Albie, Abdullah and I are all stopping there. Abdullah will stay with George to set up a nest with the fifty-calibers we've got, try to defend the strip if it comes to that. Ray, Albie and me are going back to Petra to see what we can do….we think those two GC we scared off earlier are still wondering around. Ray uh…he got a phone call from David that didn't sound good. We don't know what happened to him._"

"That doesn't sounds good."

"_You think?_"

"What about the passengers you're all carrying right now? That's three loads. And what about my family? They're still there. So are Hannah and the other nurse--Leah."

"_Leah's going to Petra with us, in case she's needed. The passengers we have will have to stay at the strips, as out of sight as possible until Petra is clear and we can work them into other flights there. I don't like the risk any more than anybody else, but we don't have much choice right now. Hannah's staying there too, to help keep them under control._"

"You're right; I don't like it either. But again, what about Sara and Gavin?"

"_I can't tell you that, Jack. That's up to you and Sara. None of the other choppers are stopping at Mizpe Ramon, and the ground vehicles are supposed to take their passengers straight to the footpath into Petra. But, if you want to stop and pick up your family, or let them stay there, it's up to you. Either way there's potential danger. On the strip they're risk coming under attack, and in the air with you they risk being shot down with you and the rest of your passengers. Granted, we don't _think_ that will happen, but we don't know if it's the place Petra being protected, or the people going there. We especially don't know about anyone who's not Jewish._"

"And we heard about Carpathia's restriction on all air or ground traffic after nine tonight," Jack muttered. "Yeah, I know. But I hate the idea of them sitting there exposed."

"_Those passengers will be, too. And right now we have no idea when Carpathia might strike at the strip, or even if he will. We only know that the Bible says something about the Antichrist striking at the people of God as they fled on the wings of the eagle…which I assume would be us._"

Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair. "When did this become so complicated?"

"_I don't know, Jack…But either way, you've got to delay arriving at Petra. Give us time to neutralize whatever threat may still be there_."

By the time he got to Mizpe Ramon, Ray, Mac, Albie, and Leah were already at Petra, and the fifty-caliber nest was manned by George and Abdullah. Jack shouted back to the passengers over the sound of the blades slowing. "Don't worry, we'll be on to Petra soon; just a little stop. If your neighbor doesn't speak English, please relay that. I'll be right back."

Jack hopped out of the bird, and saw that Sara and Gavin had come out to see who had landed now. She spotted him, and he hurried over. "Have you heard what's going on? Come on, you and Gavin are coming with me."

She hugged him for a moment. "You take Gavin and our things. I need to stay and help with these people."

He pulled back and frowned. "What? Why?"

She sighed. "Most of them are anxious and scared, Jack, and Hannah's the only other person here not busy watching the skies for attack. I would feel better if Gavin were with you, but I'm needed here."

"But--"

"Jack."

He looked at her for a long moment, and finally sighed. "All right, all right…but _you_ take care of _yourself_."

"I think I've learned a few things since this all started, Jack. I'll be fine. Now go on; don't keep your passengers waiting."

Jack bent down in front of Gavin. "Hey buddy, want to go for a ride?

"Sure!" the boy grinned.

Sara helped him bring out their small suitcases and put them in the chopper between the pilot seats, and Jack strapped Gavin into the empty co-pilot seat. "Now you be good and don't touch anything, okay? And don't be scared; you won't fall out."

"Okay…." Gavin said uncertainly.

"Good boy."

* * *

It was fifty miles from Mizpe Ramon to Petra, but in the air that meant he still had to lag a little, take a few loops to keep from getting there. When he heard that he could go ahead, he was relieved that he didn't have to keep fooling the passengers anymore. All two dozen or more of the Israelis he was carting gave a collective sigh when the red rocks of the city came into view. There was only one chopper ahead of them, though he wondered what was going on up there when it banked sharply and hurried over a ridge, away from something.

He tried to raise somebody by phone, or through the radios, but got nothing. They were all busy or out of range.

Once he was over the first ridge himself and flying over the city, it was obvious enough what the other chopper had been doing, but then it was too late.

There were two ragged GC officer on the side of a ridge, taking aim at him.

And in this clunky rig, he had no time to move.

The passengers shrieked. "Hold on, people!" He banked as hard as he could without risking killing them all running into a rock face, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. _Oh God, what have I done? _Gavin was gripping the edges of his seat tightly, whimpering a little. Jack looked at his son, wondering if it would be the last time this side of Heaven.

Something exploded under them. For a moment Jack thought they'd been hit, but they weren't shaking. He pulled the chopper out of the turn and looked down. The place where the two GC men had been standing was covered with dust, there was a two-foot hole in the rock face, and both men were on the ground, dead. And it wasn't pretty either.

He looked across the gap to the opposite, and saw the last person he'd expected. It was Rayford, sprawled on his back from the recoil of one of the fifty-caliber gun and only slowly recovering. Jack hoped he was okay, but right now he had to get this chopper down.

Within minutes he was down near the opening of the foot path on the insides, and more choppers were coming in to set people down nearby. The passengers in his bird started to off-load, and Jack jumped out and ran to catch Rayford before he and the three that had come with him started down the foot path.

"Ray! Hey!" He didn't turn, and he had to catch up and grab his shoulder before he noticed him. "Hey, you okay?"

"Say what?" Rayford asked, a little too loudly.

"Are you okay?" he realized that that time Ray had been looking at his mouth before answering.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Jack groaned. "You forgot to plug your ears, didn't you?"

"Leah said my hearing should all come back with a little time. I'll be fine."

"What were you doing?"

"I was a little distracted," he growled, though the anger wasn't directed at anyone in particular.

Jack looked from Rayford to the faces of Leah, Mac, and Albie, and realized that something was terribly wrong. "What happened?"

"David," Leah said dejectedly. "Those two GC you saw…." She couldn't finish.

"What? What happened?" Jack asked worriedly, looking at Mac and Albie. He wasn't getting anything from Rayford.

Mac sidled closer. "They killed him, Jack," he answered quietly. "Before we even got here. That was what Ray was afraid he heard when David called him. He was right."

Jack didn't say anything for a long moment. He realized that Mac had said all of that with his face turned away from Rayford, and with good reason. Ray didn't seem to want to know whatever he had said. He already knew about David anyway.

He swallowed hard. "But…the protection…this place….how could that have happened?"

Leah spoke softly as well. "He was the only person of ours here. There were no Jews en route from Jerusalem yet when it happened. If this really is the place they're supposed to be where they will be protected, that must not have come into effect yet."

Jack was glad he'd left Gavin in the chopper; it wasn't far away, he could still keep an eye on him, but he was glad the boy wasn't over here. "Oh no…" he groaned. He heard the rest of the short report of what had happened numbly. They did have David's phone now, but Chang had already nuked the inner workings of it from where he was in case the GC got a hold of it. And now those two GC were dead.

"I still didn't want to kill anyone," Ray said, finally joining the conversation again. "But they were about to shoot down a chopper and two dozen refugees. I did the only thing I could."

Jack put an arm around his friend's shoulders. "I know, Ray, and I'm glad you did. I'd be dead right now if you hadn't done it."

Ray raised his eyebrows sharply. "That was you?"

"Yep."

Ray just sighed. "I'm glad you're all right."

There didn't seem to be much else to say after that. Ray and the other three of them were going back to Mizpe Ramon to hold down the strip, and for now Jack had more passengers to pick up at the Mount of Olives. His friends headed down the footpath to their chopper, and to tell those at the entrance that had arrived by ground vehicle that it was safe to enter the city now.

Jack jogged back to the now-empty chopper, and climbed back in beside his son. He thought about taking off immediately, trying to ignore the blow the day's events had just dealt. Instead, he unbuckled Gavin and pulled the boy into his lap.

"You ok, Daddy?" he asked.

The best he could do to explain things to a two and a half year old was tell him that he was sad because David had had to leave for a while. The boy only barely knew David, so that was enough for him. He patted his father's arm. "He'll come back, right?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah…he'll come back in a while…."

Gavin smiled. "See? You not gotta be too sad. He'll be back. God'll take cara him."

* * *

With things straight at Petra, the passengers left at Mizpe Ramon were worked into flights into the city, and Leah, Hannah, Sara, and all of the medical supplies were evacuated to Masada temporarily. Rayford, Mac, Abdullah, Albie, and George stayed at the strip several hours more in case of attack, but it never came. Eventually they gave up guarding the strip, gathered anything valuable that was still there, and went to Masada themselves.

By the time Jack had run another couple of loads to Petra, it was getting late and he Mount of Olives had been pretty much cleared. At Masada, Chaim was about to speak, and he would probably be done in the time it took him to get there. Over the radio frequency connecting all of the pilots, he got a reminder to head there. There would be many more needing rides soon.

Jack arrived a little early, and hovered around with a few other pilots, waiting for Chaim to finish speaking to the thousands amassed there. He was praying with them, guiding them through the prayer of salvation. Thousands had their heads bowed. As they looked up one by one, even from where he was he could make out the mark of the believer appearing on their foreheads.

When Chaim himself finished and there was no reason to be quiet anymore, Jack gave a whoop of joy and praise. He heard similar shouts over his headset, and then headed down to land and take on passengers, lining up with the other chopper and ground vehicles waiting to ferry the new Jewish believers to Petra. Sara waved to him from one of the four-wheel-drive vehicles that had been donated for Operation Eagle. Apparently she was going to be driving one to Petra and bringing a load of new believers with her.

Jack couldn't leave his chopper at the moment, but Sara held up a handheld version of the radios the pilots had in their headsets, and he saw her change the frequency and hold it to her mouth.

"You're not worrying about me, are you?"

He tapped his headset as Gavin waved back at his mommy "Well, no, because you told me not too. Now, _concerned_ may be a different story…."

"Jack, this may be the last chance I'll have to do something here before we end up…wherever. I need to do this."

"I'm not debating that. But how do you even know the way to Petra from here?"

"I don't, but they know that. I'll be fine; all I have to do is follow everyone else."

Jack shrugged to himself. "Well, that's true."

"I'll be fine," she told him for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"I know you will, Sara. I'll see you soon. Meet you at Petra."

People poured out of Masada, their faces still showing traces of the fear of what Carpathia might do, but lighted by the joy of being a new child of God. He felt sorry for those with no believer's mark. They hurried out and went looking for a way back to Jerusalem. He wondered why they had come if they weren't going to listen.

Jack smiled at the Israelis as several singled his chopper out and climbed aboard. More followed, until the bird was full. He shoved his headset off for a moment and grinned and turned enough to make sure they could all see _his_ forehead.

"Brother and sisters, welcome to the Petra Express. I'm Jack O'Neill, and I'll be your pilot today. Please fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight; it'll be nine in a few minutes, and the curfew will come into effect. Needless to say, we're ignoring it, so there might be a few evasive maneuvers between here and there, but not to worry. God's on our side. As for those of you who speak English, I would appreciate it if you'd translate anything relevant for those who can't. Where's your twenty-three-language-speaking best friend when you need him, eh?"

There were several uncertain chuckles at that. Likely they had no idea he was serious about that last part.

"Okidoki." He turned back around, put his headset on again and took hold of the controls. "Let's get going, shall we?"

_That_ they all seemed to hurriedly agree on, and Jack carefully pulled them into the air alongside the other choppers, and turned toward Petra.

It wasn't long before GC vehicles began to arrive to pursue the ground Operation Vehicles, and planes and choppers alike showed up to follow the choppers. They all barked through their radios or over loudspeakers to demand that the Operation Eagle transports stop, because they were breaking the curfew set in place by His Excellency Nicolae Carpathia himself.

As if any of them cared.

Jack kept an eye on Sara as long as he could, but for safety's sake he had to stay with the rest of the Operation Eagle choppers, and they were faster than the ground vehicles, even if some of the _were_ old. They were in the air, after all.

After an hour or so though, he got tired of everyone simply ignoring the GC aircraft and flying on. He keyed his mike on the frequency between the pilots. "Hey, anybody gonna tell them off or what?"

"_No need_," someone answered. "_They don't have orders to use force to stop us--not yet, anyway. If we just keep going they can't do anything about it_."

"Where's the fun in that? I'm gonna talk to them. Listen and learn, boys. It's called sarcasm and insubordination."

"_Go for it, O'Neill. Just don't get us all shot down,_" another of the pilots laughed.

"It doesn't matter what I do. That'll only happen if God wants it to, after all."

Jack turned on the frequency the GC were using, and heard them yelling into their radios. "_All civilian aircraft must cease and desist immediately! Repeat, set down immediately. You are all breaking the curfew mandated by His Excellency himself!_"

"Ah, yeah, GC, this is one of the civilian aircraft. Repeat, this is one of the civilian aircraft you're bothering."

"_Set down immediately,_" came the gruff reply. "_And instruct your peers to do the same. You are all in violation--_"

"Of some curfew set up by a guy I worked with but that I never liked very much, yeah, I know. Sorry, your point is?"

"_You are treading on dangerous ground, civilian aircraft. Identify yourself_."

"Last time I checked I was treading air, and do you really think I'm going to tell you which bird I am? That would be kind of stupid of me, wouldn't it? You would know who to shoot at. Oh! Wait, you can't even do that."

"_O'Neill, don't antagonize them_," one of the other pilots told him on their channel.

"And they're not already antagonized? Sure, maybe God really did lift the plague of boils at nine like Carpathia tried to make Micah promise, but they're still mad it happened, _and_ that we're ignoring Carpathia's orders."

"_Just be careful_."

Back on the GC frequency, the officer was ranting. "--_immediately! Set down and surrender yourselves_!"

"Sorry, not gonna happen."

The back-and-forth lasted a few more minutes, but then the same pilot who had told him to be careful broke through on the pilots' channel, speaking quickly and urgently, but it was breaking up.

"_O'Neill…stop! …Just got…orders…no limit to enforcement…can fire…us._"

Jack looked up sharply, and saw one of the GC chopper swinging around in front of him, Somehow they had figured out it was him. Suddenly he had déjà vu from Petra. But this time there was no Rayford on the ground with fifty-caliber to save his butt.

He ripped his headset off. "Everybody down!" he shouted. He didn't even have time to swerve. He ducked, pulling down a shrieking Gavin, but then the GC chopper fired. He heard the heavy automatic shots, and somehow even felt the rushing air of the big shells as they whistled through the cabin. The Israelis in the back shouted, but none of them sounded like they were in pain. The chopper didn't jerk.

Jack kept Gavin down, but looked up himself and grabbed the control again. He looked around. There was no damage at all. No holes. Nothing.

There was an explosion behind them, and he swung the chopper around. They saw one of the GC planes go down into the desert in a ball of flames. He swallowed hard.

Those bullets had gone right _through_ them.

"Praise God," he breathed.

* * *

With the main events over, everyone had gone back to their own homes to finish packing what little they could bring. The smaller television that had been in the shelter for Hammond while they had been gone the previous month was now in the dining room, which wasn't exposed to any big windows, and the two small ones were closed and covered so that the retired general could come out of hiding for a while and keep tabs on the news for them while they packed. They had almost another week before the Tok'ra arrived, but they needed to be ready if something happened.

Daniel was wondering when they would sleep. He wasn't even sure what time it was. The time difference between here and Israel was keeping everyone up, and day and night had been blending together as of late. He tracked out into the main room and saw that it was past midday, which meant it was eight or nine in Israel.

The last excitement had been an hour or two ago, when Chang had managed to replace the feed from every major network, radio, and internet coverage with Tsion Ben-Judah. The rabbi had given a brief message, and they had been just seeing Carpathia going mad on the 216, where they heard report that he had sequestered himself for the time being.

It had been interesting, too. Behind was nothing but a blank wall, but behind him, if one looked close enough, had been a wall clock with the time for the United Carpathian States. But he was still in Chicago at the Tribulation Force safe house in the Strong building. Let the GC figure _that_ one out. What was worse, for the GC anyway, was that after Ben-Judah was done, Chaim came on only audio and gave his own message, leading even more into the fold.

Vala came up beside him and wrapped her arms around one of his. He realized he'd been staring around the living room for several minutes.

"We barely spent a year in this house together," she mussed.

Daniel sighed and pulled her into his arms. "I know. I wish we'd been together in a different time, but we can't change what's happening now." He smiled. "And besides, when this is over we'll have all the time in the world."

"True. And at least I got _some_ tome to live a semi-normal life," she agreed, and then pecked him on the cheek.

That was when they heard Hammond call out from the dining room. "Daniel, we might have a problem!"

He hurried in, skidding around a corner. "What is it?" Vala ran in behind him.

"Carpathia just ordered GC forces to take whatever measures necessary to stop vehicles and aircraft breaking the curfew. They're authorized to shoot to kill."

Vala pulled in a breath. Daniel grimaced. "Oh, great…"

"That's not all," Hammond said grimly. "He's sending a mass of ground troops to Petra--flying them in using the Mizpe Ramon strip abandoned by our people and then trucking them out to the city. They're going to have big trouble over there soon.

On top of that, reports began to come in that the entirety of the world's oceans had turned to blood.

* * *

It took the rest of the night to get everyone out of Jerusalem, and by late morning more than half of the people were still outside Petra, waiting to be chopper-hopped inside, or making their way through the narrows mile-long footpath inside.

And now they knew that Carpathia's army was coming. They could see columns of dust billowing up from the vehicles' tires as they snaked their way toward Petra from all sides.

The chopper pilots were working as fast as possible, hopping people into the city. But not all of them would even fit. They didn't know how or even if they would all be protected. Jack was on the ground outside when his radio squawked, and Mac informed all Operation Eagle personnel that they were on combat duty, and to report to him for further instructions.

When he tracked down Mac, Sara was there with the rest of them.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. She wasn't really Operation Eagle personnel. She'd only volunteered at the last minute at Masada to drive one of the vehicles.

"Helping," she told him firmly. "I don't _like_ the idea of bearing arms, but if we're supposed to do our part to keep these people safe, I will."

"Where's Gavin?"

"With Hannah and Leah inside."

Jack shook his head. "Sara I've already figured out that there's no stopping you from doing what you want to do for this, but I'm begging you to listen to me. There are _barely_ enough of us to surround these people at any reasonable distance apart from each other. If those troops really do come down on us, I doubt it'll be a very successful operation." He grimaced. "Gavin needs at least one parent to stay safe."

Sara scowled for a long moment, but she couldn't deny that he was right. "I won't be part of the line. But I'm staying out here. If God doesn't protect us from those troops, none of us will be safer inside then outside."

He didn't really like that idea either, but he had to agree. "Fine. But stay a few people back from the front, would you?"

"If it'll make you feel better," she answered, giving a dramatic sigh.

Jack was about to say something else when he realized that the entire tens-of-thousands strong crowd of Israelis outside of Petra and those that could see outside had all fallen silent. He, Sara, Mac, and the rest of the Operation Eagle people hushed with them, and turned where they were all suddenly looking.

At one edge of the crowd stood a tall man dressed in a robes similar to Chaim's, but his ethnicity was unclear from here. He was holding his hands up, quieting the crowd, and it worked immediately. When he spoke, it was at a normal conversational volume, and yet even from where they were it seemed to jack as if he were standing right next to him. With that, and just something about him…it only took seconds to conclude that the man was an angel.

(Words of Michael the angel from "Desecration")

"Fear not, children of Abraham," the angel began gently. "I am your shield. Fear not, for God has heard your voice. He says to you, 'I am the God of Abraham your father: fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you.'"

Everyone seemed to understand who this man was, and the significance of what he was saying. The angel told them not to fear the approaching enemy, that they would not die.

"You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem, for the Lord will be with you. God shall hear you, and afflict them because therefore they do not fear his name. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.'"

The angel stepped into the crowd, and they parted to let him through as he headed across. "Thus says the Lord that created you, O Israel, 'Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.' It shall be well with you. Be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear no therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

"The Lord God says, 'Fear not, for I am the first and the last.' Stand firm then, remnant of Israel. Fear not! Fear not! Fear not! Fear not!"

The people slowly took up the chant, and their volume grew. Jack found himself grinning. "So much for combat duty."

The angel found his way to the edge of the people again, this time at the very front, and faced the middle column of oncoming desert dust that brought with it the armies of evil. He stood against the people of the Antichrist, and behind him thousands did the same. Jack and the rest of them were compelled to remain silent with the rest of the crowds now.

As the army drew closer, it became easier to see what the dust cloud was made of. There were fully-armored tanks, missile launchers, cannon, heavy trucks, personnel transports, ten thousands of troops in all, all bearing down on the equally large-numbered believers who were standing their ground.

In only a few minutes they were a quarter mile away, and Jack began to worry. They were well within range, but not opening fire. What if they had been ordered not to open fire unless fired upon? They weren't stopping, either. Would they simply run thousands of helpless people over? They certainly had the means to do so.

But Mac stood firm, sticking with the angel's order not to take up arms. The weapons he would have distributed lay where they were. But the people remained calm.

A hundred feet. They really were just going to run them over if nothing stopped them, weren't they? He held tight to Sara, both wondering how God would do what he had to be about to do.

Unbelievably, the tanks in the front of the enemy lines were within ten feet of the angel and front lines if Israelis before anything happened. More unbelievable was that mass panic had not erupted before then.

Suddenly every single one of God's people dropped to their knees and covered their ears at a thunderous sound. Jack and Sara went down too, jaws clenched at the noise. They looked up just in time to see what happened.

On every side of the sea of believers, right in front of those at the edge, the Earth abruptly split open from a mile in all directions away from the city of Petra. It happened so quickly that Carpathia's armies never knew what hit them. One moment there was earth under their feet, and the next it was gone and they were falling.

This had been in Revelation, in the Bible. Now he remembered the whole verse. Two of them, actually. Revelation 12:15-16 said, "The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth."

The dragon, was the Antichrist, Carpathia, and the woman, the chosen people of God, the Jews. The torrent of water was the outpouring of forces against them. Right now they were seeing the truth of the earth coming to their aid with the help of God.

Cannons, missiles, and bullets were fired either in shock or from being shaken, and they various projectiles merely rose up and fell back into the pit, where smoke and fire were rising from the canyon that seemed to have no bottom. But all the noise, and they could still hear the screams of the troops falling to their doom.

They all had to fling their arms out to keep their balance as the earth rolled around them in aftershocks with the chasm in front of them slowly closed. Within minutes the earth was still, and there was no sign of the GC or the rip in the earth. The dust had settled. It was as if nothing had happened.

The angel was gone. Chaim was first to slowly rise from the dirt, and spoke to the still silent, stunned crowds.

(Words of Chaim from "Desecration")

"As long as you are on your knees, what better time to thank the God of creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Thank him who sits on high above the heavens, above whom there is no other. Thank the One in whom there is no change, neither shadow of turning. Praise the holy One of Israel. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"

Sara looked at him, eyes still wide, and Jack gave her a smile. He didn't think he was supposed to be happy about the death of so many, and he wasn't, but it had been too late for them. All of Carpathia's people had taken his mark, and it had always been clear that it was too late for those who had. He smiled because they were safe; because his wife and son would live to see another day. Because these people were unharmed.

Because they had just seen a miracle.


	56. Return to Petra

Whew, sorry ya'll, information overload again--for me anyway. But that'll change soon when they get off Earth! I can't wait! here's the next nice long chapter for ya, and look forward to more soon! Please review if you're still liking it, and I can't wait to hear from ya'll. Thanks so much all of you!

Chapter 56

With Carpathia's army swallowed, the threat was gone for the moment. Jack and the rest of the Operation Eagle personnel were able to resume chopper-hopping people into Petra. Hannah and Leah were tasked with finding the computer-smart of the Israelis and assigning them to watch over the computer station David had set up in a cave near one of the high places. Buck was supervising the set-up of the housing modules that had been provided, and there were others passing out blankets and helping people find places to get settled.

Once everyone that would fit inside the walls of the city were in, and Chaim was inside, it was time for the members of both the original and SG-1 Tribulation Forces to head back to the states.

"One of ours guys is letting us borrow a long-range jet, so with Albie's ID--the only uncompromised fake one we've got left--we should get back to Chicago fine. We'll still have to re-fuel once, after all," Rayford observed. "But we'll have to get you Colorado in a few days. It is _way _out of our way. It'll have to be a separate trip. And we'll have to figure out our excuses to land there."

Jack shrugged. "I guess we'll take what we can get. But are you sure you want us at the safe house?"

"Why wouldn't you be welcome?"

"Well, previously we haven't even known the exact location of it."

"That was as much for your protection as ours, but right now we have no choice."

"True. And hey, we can see Chloe and Kenny."

Rayford grinned, "And meet Tsion."

"Exactly."

They had to get out to Mizpe Ramon to get to the jet. George Sebastian was going to airlift Chaim to a spot where both the Israelis inside and outside the city could see him, so he could address them all. Then he would lift them out to the airstrip, from where he would fly his own plane back home to California.

Before they got moving, they all stood in a circle with Chaim, holding hands and preparing to pray. Gavin was wrapped around one of his mother's legs, and George was sitting in the chopper fifty yards away. Rayford waved him over. "Let's get George in on this. I have a feeling we're going to be seeing more of him," he commented.

(Most dialogue from LB characters from "Desecration.")

"Micah ready?" George asked, referring to Chaim's new name for himself.

"In a minute, George. Get in here with us."

As the pilot joined the circle, Ray told them all that George wasn't going straight home. He had a mission in Greece first. He gave a quick recap of what had happened when Buck and Albie had been in Greece. The two of them, posing as a GC officer, had come up with an excuse to remove two teenage believers from the compound, and then let them go. Now both of them were known to be gone, and were on the run. George was going to bluff his way around with info help from Chang, pick the kids up, and deliver them to the safe house in Chicago before going home himself.

Buck commented that he wished he could go, but all of his cover was blown.

"We should pray," Rayford said finally.

Chaim let go of Ray and Hannah's hands on either side of him. "One moment, please." From his robe he pulled a small container that they all knew to contain some of Hattie's ashes.

"My wish is to one day toss what is left of these to the winds from a high place of worship to the one true God here at Petra. I believe that is what our impetuous but sincere young sister would have wanted. But first I want to entrust these to you, Captain Steele, to take back to her new brothers and sisters in the safe house, back to some who knew her and loved her even long before she gave herself to Christ. Then bring them back with Tsion Ben-Judah, and we will remember her one last time before he addresses the remnant of Israel. And as we think of David Hassid, we wish only that we also had a token by which to remember our courageous brother, who knew so few of us personally but who contributed so much to cause."

But Leah had David's crushed phone, and quietly produced it. "I have a token."

"Would you take that, too, to our comrades in Chicago for a moment of remembrance, looking forward to the day when we shall see this dear one again?"

"I would like his friend to take is," she nodded, handing it to Hannah. The younger woman thanked her with a hug, and Jack smiled to himself.

They all joined hands again and bowed their heads, and Chaim prayed before they were all on their way.

* * *

Since hearing on television of the turn for the worse in Israel, they had heard nothing from Jack and Sara. None of them had any idea if anyone at Petra was all right, or under attack, or--

Daniel practically leapt at the phone when it rang; he was more relieved than he had been in a long time when he heard Jack's voice on the other end of the line.

"Are you all okay?" he asked anxiously.

"_Oh yeah, we're fine. We're about to get on the jet to head back for the states_."

"What happened?" He switched the speakerphone on and waved Vala and Hammond over.

Jack chuckled. "_About that…_" He ran through basically what had happened, but Daniel got the feeling that they couldn't really understand the magnitude of it; they hadn't been there.

"Oh wow," Vala muttered.

"Well…jeez. I'm glad you're all right."

At looks from the Jacksons Hammond grinned and spoke up. "Well, Jack, you're AWOL now; I suppose it's safe to tell you that I'm glad you're all right, too."

"_General? George! Well, I'll be_."

Hammond laughed. "It's good to talk to you too, Jack."

"_You bet! How long have you been there, you sneaky--_"

"A while. We can talk later."

"_Eh, good point. This connection is supposed to be secure, but you never know. I'll see all of you soon, then. We'll let you know when we find out when we'll be able to get to Colorado._"

"You've only got about five days, Jack," Daniel reminded him.

"_Thank you, Captain Obvious_."

Daniel snorted. "Well, you know, I guess we _could_ always find a way to pick you up; I think one of the ships the Tok'ra are bringing as Asgard beaming, but still: It would make everything easier if you were already here."

"_I'll see what I can do, Daniel_."

"All right, just stay safe, you understand?" Vala butted in.

* * *

They were halfway to the states when Rayford got a call, though Jack wasn't sure who from. Ray didn't offer the information, either, but when he was off the phone he told them all that plans had changed. He had just been told by someone they knew inside that Albie's ID _was_ compromised. They couldn't land at Kankakee. And that was only half of it. George had been captured in Greece.

Whoever it was had given Rayford information to bluff with, and told him to land for refueling in Maryland. In Chicago, they would have to land at an abandoned airstrip near the safe house, and someone from there would drive out to get them. As usual, Chang would cover for the heat signatures.

Those going back to Petra with Tsion would have to jump through all new hoops, most likely.

"And I have no idea what we're going to do about getting you three to Colorado," ray told Jack just before they landed in Illinois. "We'll have to work something out once Zeke's fixed us all up with new identities. That's the only way we're going anywhere, to begin with."

Jack and Sara exchanged glances. "Great. Sounds like fun," he smirked. Sara only shrugged.

Chloe, Kenny, and Ming, Chang's sister, drove a Humvee from the safe house and met them at the landing site. They all let Buck out first to greet his family. They rest of them climbed out afterwards with their sparse luggage, and Gavin was more than happy to meet another boy near to his age. They good even talk to each other, to some extent, and neither little boy was quiet the whole way there.

The safe house turned out to be what had once been the Strong Building. With Chicago declared a 'radiation zone', no one was there. They had spray-painted the windows black, they didn't go outside without telling Chang o he could cover the heat signatures, and it was the perfect place to hide any number of people, though there were only a few here now. They were all relieved to get inside the building, where they were relatively safe.

"Nice place you got here," Jack commented as they all set down their luggage.

Chloe smiled. "Isn't it? It's been working out well, though I _am_ going a little stir crazy in here," she told him, while glancing pointedly at Rayford.

"We'll talk about that later, Chloe," the leader of the original Trib Force sighed.

A man came out of one of the nearby rooms, and lit up when he saw them all. "Rayford! You do not know how happy I am that you are all safe."

Ray smiled. "Thanks for the prayers, Tsion. I know you were sending them up."

"Indeed I was."

Of course. Jack didn't know how he could have forgotten the face of the man he'd seen on TV more than three and a half years ago. _This_ was Tsion Ben-Judah.

Tsion's attention was drawn to them after he had greeted all of his friends. "Welcome," he said warmly. "You must be Jack and Sara O'Neill. And little Gavin!" he said, grinning at the extra little boy running between the adults with Kenny. "And so delighted to meet you all. I have heard much about you from Rayford and the others."

It wasn't until after he'd shaken both of their hands that Jack snapped out of the staring state he realized with embarrassment that he'd been locked in for a moment.

"Really? Sweet. Wow, it's uh…It's great to meet you too. Obviously we've heard a lot about you," he joked.

"I've been looking forward to this," Sara admitted. "It really is wonderful to meet you in person after reading your messages on the internet for so long."

"Oh, you flatter me when I do not deserve it. I am merely a servant of the Lord, and your brother in his son the Christ. But I thank you."

The rest of the introductions were made all around as the rest of those in the safe house showed themselves to welcome back the travelers, and the newcomers. When they were all together, they knelt to pray and comfort one another for the loss of friends. Rayford showed them all the small urn containing Hattie's ashes, and Hannah brought out the smashed phone that had been David's.

Zeke mentioned that of course they were going to do something about George Sebastian trapped in Greece.

Mac answered immediately. "Exactly, Zeke. But we've got a lot of planning to do in a short time, and you're gonna be as busy as any of us."

Chloe grinned. "I know some people I'll bet would want to help."

* * *

It turned out that what Chloe had meant was the lead-in to more news.

She had found another holed-up group of believers in the city, and they were willing to help with whatever the Trib Force was doing. That much was a good thing, though it was obvious that Rayford wasn't happy about how she'd found them; she'd gone out on her own, without letting anyone know. Chang had had to scramble to cover her tracks, and the safe house had almost been discovered. They could only thank God they were still safe.

As new as these people were, and because of trust issue that had yet to be really resolved, the thirty or fourty-strong group of newfound believers wouldn't have nothing to do with the mission of getting Tsion to Petra and rescuing George. But perhaps they would come in handy later. They were all moving into the huge Strong Building, as it was.

Within the day it was decided that Tsion, Rayford, Abdullah, Mac, Hannah, and Chloe would all leave. Mac, Hannah, and Chloe, posing as GC with new fake IDs, would split off in Crete to go to Greece to get George out. The other three would go on to Petra. All of them would have to be completely made over and given new IDs.

But that still left the O'Neills stranded in Chicago.

"I don't know what to tell you, Jack," Rayford admitted. "Maybe someone else here I the states can help you out…"

Nothing surfaced, however, and Jack was forced to call their friends in Colorado again. "You'll just have to tell Anise to pick us up. I still have a working subcutaneous transmitter, after all. They can still scan for that with a Goa'uld ship, right?"

"_They should be able to_," Daniel confirmed.

"And they're supposed to contact you when they're on approached to Earth, right?"

"_Yes_."

"Perfect then. When they do, tell 'em to swing by the Petra side of the world and beam us up."

"_Well, I guess that could work…wait, Petra_?"

"Yeah. Since they're going to pick us up anyway, it doesn't matter where we are. W might as well see if we can get back to Petra with Ray and them. I'd love to be there when Tsion gives his address to all of those Israelis."

"_Jack, for cryin' out loud…_"

O'Neill raised an eyebrow at his friend a thousand miles away. "Hey, don't get all me on me. You know you would do it too."

Daniel sighed. "_All right, I'll tell them_."

"_Thank_ you. I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Good. Just be careful."

It took some convincing, and Zeke assuring Rayford that he would still be able to get the O'Neills fixed up as well as the rest of them in the three or four days they had, but they were in. The family would fly out with the six Trib Force members, and when Tsion, Ray, and Abdullah split off for Petra from Crete, they would go with them.

Chloe was no longer recognizable with the changes that had been made in the past. With a new ID she was ready to go. Rayford and Abdullah were disguised as Egyptians, though for Ray that included chemically darkening his skin by some. Hannah, who already had American Indian coloring due to her background, was given a few feature changes and an ID that identified her as a New Delhi Indian. Mac, as tall as he was, was harder, but Zee worked his magic there too, and the former pilot for Carpathia was transformed into an older GC commander.

They O'Neills were not as hard to fix as they had feared. Sara and Gavin weren't recognizable anywhere, so all Zeke did to them was trip and reshape their already short-styled hair, and recolor it. Gavin went from light brown back to the bright blonde it had been when he was born. Sara's graying dark blonde hair became a charming auburn. Jack was a little harder, because there _were_ a few higher-ups in the GC that would easily recognize him, but at least there weren't too many.

It didn't help, though, that he wasn't getting any younger. His hair was already almost completely white.

"What color _was_ your hair?" Zeke asked, as he looked at him thoughtfully.

"Uh, nothing too complicated. Brown."

"Then it _won't_ be that color when I'm through."

Jack blinked. "Uhm…okay."

In the end, along with a little stubble of a beard that Zeke colored the same as his hair, he ended up almost with the same hair color as Sara, with more red than had been put in hers. "At least I don't look like a fire engine," he smirked. Though it did play to his Irish roots. Unfortunately, Zeke gave him blue contact lenses instead of green.

"Don't want your fake ID to have the same background as you do, typically," he pointed out.

"Darn."

The next two or three days were interesting. The believers from the nearby hideout, and their African American pastor, Enoch, were moving in on another floor, and the two groups began to eat, pray, and watch the news together. The fact that the appearances of those going on the missions soon continued to change as Zeke worked on them added to the excitement level. Even though he was one of them, jack found himself doing double-takes in the hallway at the others that were leaving.

What was _on_ the news kept them entertained. They heard from Chang that Carpathia had figured out, via satellite images, what had happened to his army, but on television it was obvious that the GC was covering up the fact that the enormous gathering of forces had even existed.

And they all counted down to the day they would leave.

* * *

It got harder and harder to walk through the corridors of the SGC. Even though every believer Hank knew tried discretely, and some not-so-discretely, to urge their co-workers and friends not to take Carpathia's mark so hastily, many did anyway, and thus sealed their fate. Almost everyone he passed in the hallway now bore one of two marks on their forehead, and he didn't like to think about what it meant. It was even more frustrating that, even as their leader, he could do nothing more than simply not force his people to go to the mark application sites. All he could do was not say anything at all.

The day before the O'Neills were to head back to Petra with Tsion Ben-Judah and other Trib Forces members from Chicago, the Global Community News network announced that the Most High Reverend Father of Carpathianism was to make a special appearance. General Landry heard the news from his office--just before he got a call that Carpathia himself wished to speak to him via the holographic communication device.

Oh…wonderful.

Not surprisingly, His Excellency got right to the point.

"I still have no more information from you on the insurgents under your command, general," he glared. "And I have heard reports that almost half of your people still have not taken my mark.

"With all due respect, most of my people are preparing for the training maneuvers that begin the day after tomorrow. They have no time to drive out to any application sites.

"There is one here in Colorado Springs."

"Most of them will have no time to leave the base at all."

"Is this more important than _me_, general, your living god?"

He blinked. "Of course not, Excellency," he said, mentally crossing his fingers.

Carpathia raised an eyebrow. "General, did you know that just a few days ago I had my two stewardesses from my personal plane executed on suspicions of being insurgents? I could easily have you put to death as well, if I find you uncooperative. I must no longer restrain myself to jumping through political hoops to do such a thing."

Hank resisted the urge to swallow. "Of course, Excellency. I understand. I won't let you down." _That's true, all right. I won't let down your expectations that I'm not on your side._

"You had better not. When Reverend Fortunato makes his media appearance, it will be to issue a new decree to crack down on anyone who has not yet taken the mark."

"As soon as the training maneuvers are over, I'll makes sure the rest of my people get out to the application site."

Carpathia glared again. "Well, they had better stay out of site of any Peacekeepers or Moral Monitors until then. I will be watch you, general. I _do_ see everything." Then he shimmered out, and Hank snorted.

"And I'm a monkey's uncle."

But he warned his people anyway, the believers, of what was going to be announced. He advised all of them to leave their homes now, and get to the base and stay there for the next day or so, until it was time to go out to the rendezvous point.

Within hours the SGC was a flurry of subtle activity, with the believing employees showing up, or leaving and returning, sneaking their families in past loyalist employees to hide them in their on-base quarters. They could only hope that would be enough protection until it was time to leave.

* * *

Their few small bags were in the car, and Sam, Simon, and Jenny stood just inside the doorway of their home, facing Shane. Jenny had her hands behind her back, hoping no-one could see them clenching and unclenching.

"You take care of yourself. You know where you're going, right?" Sam asked.

The young man nodded. "The nearest big safe house--in the mountains west of here, where most of your church is. I'll head there as soon as you're gone. Thank you so much, for everything." He smiled. "I'll look forward to seeing you again."

"You too," Simon agreed, and Sam nodded. Jenny just hurried forward and clamped her arms around him.

"I love you," she whispered, below the hearing range of her adoptive parents. Shane hugged her back tightly, kissed her cheek.

"Be safe."

Sam and Simon took one last look around the home of their early married life--which would soon be nothing more than another abandoned house left behind by fleeing believers. Then they went out to the car, leaving the two young people to finish their goodbyes.

Shane kissed her briefly. "I love you, too."

When she finally broke away, Jenny could practically feel the unwillingness to leave radiating from her body. "Goodbye."

"Only for now," he smiled sadly.

She nodded, and then she had to run to the car before she was unable to go. She practically jumped into the back seat with the three bags and shut the door. Suddenly she wanted to cry; she couldn't stop staring out the window at him. He waved; she waved back tentatively.

She expected the car to move immediately; after all they needed to get there…wherever there was…but nothing happened. Finally she looked up and saw that both Sam and Simon were looking at her.

"You don't want to leave him, do you?" Sam asked quietly.

Jenny swiped at her eyes in frustration, fearing that was what was giving her away. "I'll be fine, Sam. Let's get out of here."

"You don't have to lie to me. Just answer the question."

She grimaced, swallowed hard. "No," she said finally.

Sam and Simon exchanged glances, and it seemed an understanding passed between them. They looked back at her, and Sam reached between the front seats to take her hand, and look her in the eyes.

"Go," she said gently.

Jenny looked back and forth between them, confused. "What…?"

"In the long run, the mountains here won't be any less safe then where we're going," she assured her. "You'll be fine. If you want to stay," she swallowed.

"And that safe house is connected with the Co-Op Chloe Williams and the Tribulation Force is running," Simon added. "They'll have plenty of supplies."

She blinked rapidly. "But…are you sure? If you want me to come with you, I will, it's just--"

Sam sighed. "You would be miserable. I just didn't want to admit it because I wanted you with us. We'll miss you…but I think you should stay."

Jenny squeezed her hand, her throat clogging. She grabbed her bag and jumped out of the car. Both Sam and Simon got out on her side to hug her tightly. "Thank you so much," she choked. "I love you both. I'll miss you…" But even as she trailed off she was looking back at Shane in the doorway, who was looking at them curiously.

Sam smiled at her knowingly, but her eyes were damp. "Hey, we'll see you in three and a half years." She glanced over at Shane too. "And he'll take care of you."

Needless to say, Shane was more than little shocked when Jenny ran back to him, and the Docketts drove off. "What are you doing?" he protested.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Showing the effects of watching _Deep Impact _too many times," he smirked.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, would you get off it? I'm staying, and that's it."

He shook his head. "And why did I ever think I could talk you out of it?"

She dropped her bag, shut the door and grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Maybe you were delusional."

* * *

Daniel, Vala, and George Hammond set their bags down in Daniel's room on base. Daniel glanced out into the hallway one last time to make sure no one was watching, and closed the door. "Good; we got in clean…"

Vala wrapped her arms around her torso and shivered. "It's hard to believe we won't be going back home. In the morning day after tomorrow we'll be off this planet."

Hammond was looking around. "They still haven't changed these rooms at all. Still boring as anything. That's the one thing I didn't like." He smiled just a little.

Daniel chuckled. "Tell me about it--both of you. And I'm not relishing the idea of sitting around for almost thirty-six hours."

"Can't you two be seen out there?"

He shook his head. "Not so much. We can, but we don't want to expose ourselves for anything length of time. There are still a lot of loyalists out there that might try to pull something."

"Late tomorrow night all of the believers hiding here and or elsewhere that are leaving with us will make their way out to the tunnel by the rendezvous point. We have the communications equipment there for the Tok'ra to let us know when they're close," Vala told him.

"I see."

There was a knock on the door. Daniel stiffened. He jerked his head toward the small bathroom off the room, and Hammond got the message and quickly shut himself inside. Vala stood back, and Daniel opened the door a crack, before throwing it open. Instead of anyone to worry about, it was Sam and Simon who hurried in and closed the door behind them.

"We didn't want to stay in my room by ourselves for so long," she smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Daniel assured her. "But where's Jenny."

Sam sighed, and Simon wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She's staying."

"With Shane?" She nodded. Daniel hugged her. "She'll be all right."

She shrugged. "I know…I just wonder if we did the right thing."

Vala skipped over to the bathroom door and knocked on it, and Hammond came out again. Sam's face brightened when she saw the retired general.

"Sir!"

"Sam," he grinned, and crossed the room to embrace her. "And call me George, all for you, for goodness sakes."

She looked at him when he let go. "You look good, sir--George." She winced. "That'll take some getting used too."

"No kidding," Daniel smirked.

"Who is this?" Simon asked in confusion.

"This was the first commander of this…base," Sam said. "He was our commander for seven years. Daniel, Jack, and I know him very well, along with a lot of the other people here. This is George Hammond. Sir, this is Simon--my husband."

"Well I'll be--you too," he commented, shaking Simon's hand. "These two told me, of course, it's still a bit of a shock," he admitted. "So much has changed."

Vala crossed her arms. "And everything is about to change quite a bit more."

* * *

At three a.m. in Chicago, everyone in the Strong Building but the small children gathered in the commons near the elevator on the Trib Force's floor to watch the Fortunato appearance.

(All quotes from the TV from "Desecration")

"We go live now to the sanctuary of the beautiful Church of Carpathia off the palace courtyard here in New Babylon and reverend Fortunato," the announcer iterated enthusiastically. Jack wanted to groan.

Leon stepped up to a pulpit in front of a massive robed choir, he regalia looking like it couldn't decided which traditional religion it was from--probably because it was supposed to be a combination of all. But that didn't work so well. He looked like an absurd peacock.

He waited until the choir had sung "Hail Carpathia" before he glanced down at his notes and began.

"Fellow citizens of the Global Community and parishioners of the worldwide church of our risen lord, His Excellency, Supreme Potentate Nicolae Carpathia…I come to you this hour under the authority of our object of worship and with power imbued from him to bring to you a sacred proclamation."

"Sacred my a--"

"Jack!" Sara hissed.

"Sorry," he winced. "But whenever I see that guy talking like I'm gripped by an overwhelming urge to pinch his pompus little head off."

Fortunato was continuing. "The time has expired on any grace period related to every citizen receiving and displaying the mark of loyalty to Nicolae Carpathia. Loyalty mark application centers remain open twenty-four hours a day for anyone who for any reason has not had the opportunity to get this accomplished. Effectively immediately, anyone seen without the mark will be taken directly to a center for application or the alternative, the enforcement facilitator."

Jack shook his head to himself, thinking sadly of what that really meant. It amazed him how they could get away with regularly calling those things anything but what they really were and still be taken seriously.

"Furthermore, all citizens are required to worship the image of Carpathia three times a day, as outlined by your regional potentate, also under threat of capital punishment for failing to do so."

"Getting really friendly, aren't they?" Sara sighed in disgust.

"I know you share my love for and dedication to out deity--" _Well, yeah, but not the one you're thinking of,_ Jack snorted inwardly. "--and will enthusiastically participate in every opportunity to bring him praise. Thank you for your cooperation and attention, and may Lord Nicolae Carpathia bless you and bless the Global Community."

Before Leon could finish, all of the lights went out in the church. When they came back on, the choir was in pandemonium, running in panic from something unseen and falling over each other and their robes in the process. GCNN ran a few error messages, but it didn't help any. Soon Fortunato was gone, too, and something else took over the screen.

In the middle of the screen a face appeared so bright it lit the entire room, and even with the volume turned almost all the way down the voice that issued from it was still so loud as to almost hurt their ear.

"If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

"And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worships the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

"Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

The GCNN anchor desk in New Babylon came back, where a clearly shaken woman tried to appear as if nothing had happened. "We apologize for that malfunction, which should be _ignored_. We will now show again reverend Fortunato's message in its entirety." But this time the message from the angel took over as soon as the scene changed back to the 'church' in New Babylon.

GCNN tried error messages, switching video, and eventually the anchor desk announced that the network would be offline for a while due to 'technical difficulty', but even as the screen went to black the message played again, and again. Several of them checked the computers and radios. It played there, too.

* * *

In the late evening that day after the middle-of-the-night announcement, the nine of them departing piled into a Humvee with Buck driving, to go to the plane. But it wasn't before, back inside the building, they all huddled on their knees, praying for the journey and their friends. All day their new friends from across town had been going back and forth from their own floor, joining the Tribulation Force in singing, praying, praising…to ready them all for the times ahead.

There were hard goodbyes to make, because none of them knew just when they would see each other again, beyond the fact that they would meet again in three and a half years. Anything could happen to any of them on these journeys.

"I see Kenny again, right, daddy?" Gavin asked.

"Of course."

They were flying together to Cyprus, where they would split, and then the contingent going to Petra would fly on to Jordan. Everywhere they landed would be either unmanned or almost completely unmonitored, as indicated by Chang. With the seas still turned to blood, people near the s and stuck out on ships were dying if they couldn't get away, and it was causing a shortage on fresh water, because all water that was striped of salt from the sees and used as such was no longer available. The situation was causing health problem across the world, leaving the GC spread thin.

But that would help them.

At midmorning in Cyprus, it was hard to watch Chloe and the other two go--hard to watch Rayford say goodbye to his daughter as she departed for her dangerous rescue mission.

Things got more interesting after they landed in Amman, Jordan. There was no pretense there, except for the fact that everyone but Tsion was disguised. Of course they were accosted by security, but that was the plan. Jack stayed close to his family, Sara held onto Gavin tightly as Tsion demanded to speak with Carpathia. To O'Neill's surprise, they eventually gave in, and within minutes Ben-Judah was on the phone with the potentate. They could only hear one side of the conversation, but they could tell that Tsion stood his ground well.

(Tsion's dialogue while on phone is from "Desecration")

"I am requesting helicopter transport to Petra for myself and associates without interference, in exchange for considering asking God to withdraw the plague of the seas having turned to blood." He paused for Carpathia to answer. "You do not need me to tell you that. Surely your people are telling you that there has never been a time of greater resistance to you around the world. Renaming all of the oceans the Red Sea could not be in your best interest."

Jack smirked to himself. Score one humor point for the good guys.

There was a short back-and-forth, Tsion mentioned that they only needed the craft, not a pilot, and finally Carpathia agreed. It shouldn't have been that easy, but they weren't going to look a gift-horse in the mouth. Besides, even if the antichrist did have something up his sleeve, Petra was protected by God.

The phone was handed back to the GC, who were told by Carpathia to grant Tsion's wish. The man of God indicated Abdullah as their pilot, and they were led to a chopper. Rayford checked up on Chloe and the others by phone, and Jack let their people in Colorado know where they were and what was going on. It would take no more than an hour to get to Petra.

Not long after takeoff, Ray got a call from Chang, and he put in on speakerphone. "Guys, I'm trusting God on this one, but Carpathia just gave the order to level Petra as soon as you get there."

Jack coughed. "Excuse me, _level_?"

Rayford shook his head. "We thought he'd try that sometime. But there's nothing we can do about it now."

"Again I ask, what do you mean by _level_?"

"God should do something about it, right, Dr. Ben-Judah?" Chang asked.

Jack frowned. "Okay, I didn't know anything about this. If I have to ask what you mean one more time, heads are gonna roll."

"Two heavy-duty bombs dropped from fighters, and a missile to follow up," the young Chinese genius told him.

"What?? Oh, that could be bad…."

"Captain Steel is right," Tsion said next. "There is nothing we can do about the situation but trust in God. We will continue our journey to Petra. Nothing can happen that God does not wish. We will only perish when it is in His plan. There is no reason to change plans now."

They couldn't argue with that.

When they came within view of Petra, they could see the quarter of a million people inside and the three quarters of a million gathered outside that were all waving to the chopper. They knew who was inside. Chaim was up on one of the high places, surrounded by the Israelis, but there was clear spot for the chopper to land. Still, the people were close enough that they had to cover their faces when the landing kicked up dust. It died down when the engine was shut off, and the people burst into spontaneous applause and cheering when Tsion stepped out and waved.

(Words from Chaim and Tsion and (right after), Carpathia, from "Desecration")

"Dr. Tsion Ben-Judah, our teacher and mentor and man of God!" Chaim announced wholeheartedly, by God's power being heard by all million or so.

The other five from within the chopper climbed out and sat unnoticed on a nearby ledge and Tsion held back the noise and began humbly.

"My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, our Messiah and Savior and Lord. Allow me to first fulfill a promise made to friends and scatter here the ashes of a martyr for the faith." He pulled out the tiny urn of Hattie's ashes, opened it and released the contents into the wind.

"She defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by her testimony, for she did not love her life but laid it down for him."

Jack noticed Abdullah nudging Rayford to look up, and he looked, too. In the distance, a pair of fighter-bombers, screaming through the air, was headed straight for the city. It wasn't long before the masses noticed them too, and began to murmur uncomfortably.

Tsion held out his hands, for he had expected this. "Do not be distracted, beloved, for we rest in the sure promises of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that we have been delivered to this place of refuge that cannot be penetrated by the enemy of his Son."

Meanwhile, jets passed over, banked in the distance and headed back. Tsion continued. "Please join me on your knees, heads bowed, hearts in tune with God, secure in his promise…"

Sara holding onto Gavin, they all slipped off the ledge and knelt, but even as he gripped his wife's hand, Jack couldn't help looking up with Rayford at the bombers as they swept over the city again. At once, both of them dropped their destructive devices right over the high place, and the two heavy bombs screamed down through the air toward the middle of a million believers.

* * *

Carpathia howled as he watched the video feed from the planes in his office. "Yessss! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"


	57. Great Balls of Fire!

Hey guys. _Please_ do review if you're still here. I got like, one review for the last chapter, (thanks for always bing there dragonlots!) which isn't exactly encouraging. I've been missing a few of you lately...We're getting to the good part here, I think, so hopefully you have something to review about. ;) Thanks! --Kat

Chapter 57

Jack had been through more close calls--and meetings--with death than he liked to think about, but it was enough that this didn't seem quite so strange. After all he'd been through over the years, kneeling on hard red rock with a million other people wondering if they were about to be obliterated just wasn't weird anymore.

What was strange to him was that he was wondering.

Shouldn't he be trusting God? Wasn't this supposed to be the place of refuge set aside by Him? Hadn't Carpathia's entire army of hundreds of thousands been swallowed by the Earth to protect those that were here? Why was he fearful?

Rayford was staring at the sky, watching the bombs fall. He was one of only few. Most of the Israelis were either following Tsion's advice to pray, or they were hiding their heads in their arms on the ground, shaking in fear. Beside them Abdullah had prostrated himself and seemed to be doing both. Sara leaned into him, and Gavin whimpered; the boy didn't know what was happening, and Jack hoped more than anything that he wouldn't find out.

Jack looked up at the falling bombs. Just as he didn't, parachute unfurled from their tops, and a long black pole protruded from the bottom of each--trip probes. The GC wanted to be certain the blast went as far as possible. As soon as the ends of the poles came in contact with the ground, the bombs would go off several feet above the surface.

Had they all been wrong? Would the bombs kill them after all? Was this the end? He only hoped that if it were the others would still have the good sense to get off this planet when they were supposed to and stay safe, at least for a while…

There was no speaking before it happened, only holding onto one another. If they were to perish, they would have plenty of time in heaven to talk. Jack wasn't sure whether the bombs touched and exploded at different times or together; he only knew that there was an absolutely blinding flash of light that didn't dim in the slightest even when his eyelids shut tight.

The _boom_ that came afterwards should have sent a shockwave that disintegrated them all, and he though he felt something woosh past him, but he didn't fall. He didn't hear anything crumbling or toppling. He didn't hear the city being blown to pieces. He heard thousands of wails and moans and shrieks, including Sara and Gavin, but all he heard from himself was a strained grunt.

The whiteness blinding his closed eyes faded to bright reds and oranges patched with black, smelled the stench of fire, but no burning flesh as he should have. He felt no pain, as he should have. He opened his eyes and saw that he was on fire. His entire body was on fire. _Everything_ was on fire. For a long moment, in shock, he thought that his senses were just on overload, and everything seemed slow to him. In seconds he would feel the heat and agony, and the fire would consume and kill them all, whisk them away to heaven.

But it didn't happen. He looked around. He felt nothing, except for being a bit warm and not being able to hear anything over the thunderous roar of the fire. He couldn't see far, either, and above him no sky, only the fire. Abdullah and Rayford were on fire. The first was curled up, the second looking around as he was. Everything was afire, but nothing was consumed. Jack snapped around, searching for his wife and son. He found them still beside him. Sara was huddled with her arms still around Gavin and still leaning into his side. He took her shoulder in his hands and urged her to look up.

She did, just as much in shock as he was. They staggered to their feet, pulling their son with them, and saw other getting up as well, slowly beginning to realize what had happened.

God had protected them after all! The bombs had gone off, engulfed the area in flames, but nothing was being damaged. They were all human candles, but they weren't hurt! The Israelis were beginning to grin and whoop and hug each other. Jack squeezed Sara. "He did it! We're alive!" he shouted, and she was just able to hear him.

"Amen!" she grinned, unable to control it. Even Gavin, who as a child should have been frightened out of his wits, was laughing and bouncing in his mother arms.

"Fire, fire!" he giggled.

"That's right!" Jack laughed as Rayford and Abdullah and the others laughed and rejoiced around them. "Remember your Veggie Tales tape, buddy? Just like Rack, Shack, and Benny!"

"That's what I said!" Rayford echoed happily. "Except I wasn't talking about vegetables!"

* * *

Daniel had to force himself not to scream at the television. There had been silence in the room since the bombs had hit.

"No…" Vala said finally, and her voice was only shock, confusion, without emotion--yet. "No, that-that can't be right. They were supposed to be protected there. That can't be…"

Flames engulfed the city, created a huge red and orange bowl over everything. It was all they could see, besides the black smoke that bellowed even higher, forcing the pilot of the bomber that the camera was mounted on to swerve to avoid it and keep the picture in focus. But no one could have survived that.

A choked cry came from the edge of the bed where the Docketts sat, and when he glanced that direction he saw Sam bury her face in her husband's chest and dissolve into tears. Simon didn't seem to know what to do but hold her. Hammond was up out of his seat on the couch, just standing, staring unbelievingly at the screen.

"Daniel--" Vala gasped. "Daniel, that can't be real. They can't all dead. It couldn't have happened that way. They were supposed to be safe there!"

Suddenly his vision was only a blur of colors. "I-I don't know. I don't know."

* * *

A steak was driven through the rejoicing at Petra when some of them began to realize that there were still people on the ground, who refused to get up. Many didn't notice, and continued with the revelry, but Jack and Sara and Rayford and a few others saw, and tried to rouse them. They all refused to move. It was hard to tell if they were really in pain or not, but they all cried and said the same thing.

"God, save me! I am without God! I am not true!" they wailed in one form or another. Were they not believers, yet they had fled anyway. If so, had God chosen to protect them as well? To give them the chance to come to him? It sounded like the God Jack knew, yet it wasn't easy to tell anything in the firestorm, weaving around the dancing, rejoicing people.

(Words from Tsion Ben-Judah from "The Remnant," tenth book in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins)

"People! People! People!" The disembodied voice came from the flames, and somehow they all heard it, and knew it to be Tsion Ben-Judah who was speaking. "There will be time to rejoice and to celebrate and to praise and thank the God of Israel! For now, listen to me!"

The people stopped most of what they were doing, but none could stop grinning or laughing. Even Jack was smiling again now, still much more than aware that he was alive in the middle of a sea of flames. The cry of those few on the ground wasn't enough to dampen their spirits.

"I do not know when God will lift the curtain of fire and we will be able to see the clear sky again," Tsion continued. "I do not know when or if the world will know that we have been protected. For now it is enough that we know!"

That brought a cheer before he went on.

"When the evil one and his counselors gather, they will see us on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of our heads was not singed, nor were our garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on us," he said, using the words of the old story of the Bible. "They will interpret this in their own way, my brother and sisters. Perchance they will not allow the rest of the world to even know it. But God will reveal Himself in His own way and in His own time, as he always does."

* * *

The fraction of the Tribulation Force SG-1 that was in Daniel's room at the SGC watched as, on the television, the pilot of the bomber that was still flying around Petra acknowledged that he had a visual on the missile that was coming from Amman. It was hard to believe they had still fired it. There was no chance there was anything left down there.

There was still nothing visible of Petra but the fire and smoke, so much so that6 was absurd to see the missile trailing it's white plume come into view and bear down on the city. It disappeared into the smoke before they heard the explosion. Then they saw it as the shockwave blew the fire to even more colossal proportions.

What didn't make any sense was the enormous geyser of water that followed, firing liquid what looked like almost a mile into the air.

They all sat up, wondering if God was now doing something, or what was happening. (Pilot monologue from "The Remnant")

They could hear the pilot's voice, broadcasted over the television as he spoke over the radio to New Babylon.

"I'm--I'm seeing--I don't know what I'm seeing. Water. Yes, water. Spraying. It's, uh, it's having some effects on the fire and smoke. Now clearing, the water still rising and drenching the area. It's as if the missile struck some spring that, us--this is crazy, Command. I see--I can see…the flames dying now, smoke clearing. There are people _alive_ down th--"

The GCNN feed died immediately and screen began announcing technical difficulties again, but they didn't care. They were all too busy whooping and hollering and praising God for saving their friends and the million Israelis. Before the screen had gone black, they had seen the people, too.

* * *

The people in Petra didn't know where the geyser had come from, either, but they knew that as it cleared the flames, allowed them to see the sky, and cooled them, they rejoiced even more. Jack finally spotted Tsion Ben-Judah, who was standing with Chaim at the edge of the hole where the water burst forth. It took a while for them to gain the attention of the crowds, and again everyone could miraculously hear them.

He told them that he would be staying is Petra for at least a few days to teach, and then they noticed that the sprout of water was dropping. They all stopped and watched it settle into the whole, forming a small lake in the high place, but in the middle a patch about a foot high and several feet wide still bubbled proving the water to be coming from a spring that God had sprung from beneath the city. It would certainly provide enough water for the people sequestered here.

The people listened as Tsion told them that when he preached here later, he would address those who were still in despair, because they did not believe. Hopefully many of them would come to faith.

Jack took his family in his arms, and none of them cared that even after burning for long minutes without being hurt, they were all damp now. It didn't seem strange at all. He kissed his wife; they both kissed their son, and laughed together.

"That was definitely a show," Sara remarked.

"Show!"

He thought of what she was going to find out in a day or so, and grinned even wider. "You ain't seen nothin' yet."

* * *

The cool morning mountain air of Colorado bit through their coats as Jenny as Shane trekked up into the Rockies. There was a road, and they were following it, but Shane's car had long since been abandoned at the base of the mountains. They didn't want the vehicles to be found near the safe house and give it away. Those had been their instructions; they had also told them to hide the vehicle, but to strip the license plates off of it along with anything else identifiable, just in case it _was_ found. It wouldn't give anything away.

Jenny looked out over the beautiful land they were walking through, and above. "A nice place to get married," she commented smilingly.

Distracted, Shane turned to look at her. "What? Oh…" he smiled. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." She pouted a little, and he raised an eyebrow. "What? You're seventeen, Jenny. I'm not marrying you until you're at _least_ eighteen," he teased.

"You buzz kill, you," she sighed. "Why don't you go make some other girl feel stupid?"

He looked around exaggeratedly. "I don't know…you see any others?" She rolled her eyes, and he shoved his bag up onto his shoulder and pulled her into his arms. "Come on, you know I'm just picking at you."

She laughed. "I know." She snuggled against his chest for a moment, savoring the warmth. "How much farther is this place, anyway?" she murmured.

"It shouldn't be too much farther," he promised as they began to walk again.

Soon enough they came to the landmark rock the directions mentioned, and they veered off the road and into thin woods, and past more rock formations. The mounds twisted around into a narrow passageway, which led to what seemed to be a dead end. A cross would have been too obvious, but a small rendition of one of those fish-like symbols that were often used to represent Jesus or other Christian beliefs was carved off to one. It was almost made to seem natural, but they knew to look for it.

What they couldn't see was that the rock behind the fish had been drilled out, and a certain type of wire attacked to the back. But they had been told that, too. Shane looked at it for a moment. "Well, I think I just do this…" He reached up and tapped in the center of the fish a few times.

"People are certainly coming up with elaborate ways to stay hidden these days," Jenny smirked.

After a few moments, the flat rock in front of them that cut off the dead end swung back, revealing it to be much thinner than it appeared from the other side. It opened to show the narrow opening of a cave. A single older man stood in the opening.

"From where do you come?"

Shane cleared his throat. "Uhm, from the same place as you, my friend."

"Is that so?"

"We come seeking refuge as servant of the one true God," Jenny told him firmly.

"Because He is risen," the man intoned.

"Indeed," both young people responded.

The man in the opening relaxed and smiled when the code-conversation had been spoken through. "Welcome, friends. Quickly, bring your bags and come in. You are welcome here." He ushered them inside and shut the stone door behind them, then motioned to the wire going into the hole beside it; the wire ran back along the tunnel, next to a string of widely separated lights that he turned on. "Doorbell," he grinned.

Shane smirked. "I wondered what that was about. All I was told was 'tap the fish' which sounded kind of weird…"

The man shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyway, come. Everyone is in side; this is only the entrance." The area right next to the door was wide enough for them all, but when they headed in they would have to go into single file. The man looked at them. "My name is Andrew Gerrow, from Springs Baptist." He motioned to Jenny. "I recognize you…are you the girl the pastor and his wife took in?"

"Yes sir," she nodded. "I thought you looked familiar."

"I was one of the deacons; consequently, I'm something resembling in charge here," he smiled. "But if I remember correctly, you're not supposed to be here. Shouldn't you be with the Docketts?"

"With their permission, I chose to stay with him," she said, motioning to Shane. "This is Shane Beck."

"Ah, yes, the one we've been expecting," Mr. Gerrow nodded, shaking the young man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, sir."

The man glanced at Jenny again and shrugged. "Well, I'm not going to question what Simon told you you could do. Come on in now."

He led the way through the narrow entrance tunnel, which widened once it was around a bend. That went on for a little while longer, going down, until they rounded another corner…and it opened into a huge cavern. They gaped, and Mr. Gerrow chuckled as he lead them in.

There were people all over, all with the mark of the believer on their foreheads. Several tunnels led off the main cavern, and it seemed to be almost the hub of a small village. One side of the cavern was set up with rows and rows of various types of chairs and benches, and seemed to be the area for having worship services. The other half was mostly storage. Crates upon stacks of crates piled up against the walls.

"There are a few small rooms, which we gave to larger families, because they were too small for anything else. Larger rooms are more like boarding houses. We have cots and pads, and enough beds for the elderly and sick. It's not the best place to live, but it works. There's another exit near a clearing in the woods where Co-op choppers can land for trading so that we have supplies--and so we can get out easily if we need to."

"You guys thought of everything," Jenny said incredulously.

* * *

The celebration at Petra lasted well into the night, and over the day came one miraculous thing after another.

First, they discovered that everyone was speaking their own language, yet everyone understood everyone else also in their own language. There would be no communication problems during Tsion's sermons!

After that, the manna had fallen, giving them a sweet, fulfilling meal with the new delicious water from the spring. To Sara it was hard to fathom, living an Old Testament story…eating a meal directly from Heaven!

When thing finally began to settle down, tent were passed out. Sara helped Jack set theirs up while Gavin watched and ate, and soon they were all trying to get to sleep. After all the excitement, Gavin was the only one who conked out.

Sara snuggled up next to her husband under the blanket they hardly needed. Eventually they decided to put it under them for extra cushioning. She settled again, and looked up at him innocently. "So…do you think that just maybe you tell me where we're going now? You are AWOL, after all--_and_ they think you're dead."

He smirked and turned toward her a bit more. "True, but it wouldn't be prudent to risk anyone else here hearing."

She pouted. "Oh really, Jack, I was your wife almost ten years the first time when you were black ops. You know I won't tell anyone. We're getting out of here tomorrow anyway, aren't we? How ever it is?"

"Probably it'll be late in the afternoon, but yep, we are."

"You didn't answer the other question."

He grinned at her. "I _know_ you won't say anything, but these tents are too close together. Just suffice it to say that you'll be surprised." He paused a second. "But then again…maybe you won't."

"Oh, for goodness sakes--" She stopped when Jack's attention was suddenly drawn away by something outside. "What?"

"Ray's out of his tent; he went over by Ben-Judah," Jack frowned. "It looks like something's wrong."

"Was that a phone I heard ringing a few minutes ago?"

"Maybe…I'll be right back." There was no stopping him, so she let him slip out of the tent and over to Rayford as the pilot trudged tiredly back toward his own tent nearby. Behind him, Tsion and the several Israeli men who had been with him slipped off their seats around a campfire they had built and began praying on their knees.

"What's going on?" Sara asked when Jack returned. Rayford had gone into his tent.

"Problems in Greece," he said shortly. "Apparently that George Sebastian guy got loose on his own, and he's hooking up with Chloe and them, but the GC smell a rat. They'll be in trouble trying to get out of there."

Sara frowned. "Then we should be praying."

Jack nodded. "Which is just what everyone else is doing." He held out his hands, and she sat up to take them so the two of them could join the others in prayer.

* * *

It was early morning in New Babylon when a Carpathia still fuming about the failure at Petra called Leon Fortunato into his office.

"Well? What was discovered at the supposed 'training site' in Colorado? Anything suspicious at all?"

"Possibly, my lordship. I just received the report. There was nothing there--_nothing_. Should there not be stocked ordinance, machines? Training devices? Perhaps even some of alien origin that they now use for such things? It should not be empty, should it?"

Carpathia gave a feral smile. "No. It should not. And I believe I know why it is, Leon. I know what they are going to do."

"Of course you do, Your Excell--"

"Quiet Leon," he snapped. "Listen to me. I want Peacekeepers sent there."

Leon frowned. "But Your Excellency, it is the United North American States. We do not have as many assets there, and then there is the plague of the seas, and much of force was used up when--"

"I do not mean an army, Leon!" he shouted. "Just a fighting force! A small group that could stay near by and lash out at just the right time. Fifteen or twenty would be enough, but I want someone sent there, _now_! Before it is too late! Whatever happens, no one must leave!"

"Leave, sir?"

"The planet, Leon! They are trying to get off the planet!"

"Oh! Of course! I am sorry that I did not think of--"

"That is all right. You are only human, after all--unlike me."

Leon bowed deeply. "Of course, your lordship. And you are correct, as always. We cannot allow them to leave; we would never find them out there."

"Oh, we _would_, but it would make things so much easier if we prevented their leaving in the first place." He smirked. "That, and it will give me a couple of hundred executions to observe. I doubt that many of them will accept my mark. But anyway, there is one more thing, Leon…"

* * *

Carolyn Lam went through her office one last time, stuffing anything she really needed into a briefcase, which she put in a medical bag containing a few last-minute, well, acquirements from the infirmary that she was bringing. She had purposefully decline from cleaning her office for a few days, so it looked as normal as possible. She wasn't sure what good it would do, but why not?

Reynolds stuck his head in at one point, muttered that it was almost time, and left again. His field hat was snuggly rested over his head. Carolyn herself had made sure that when she fixed her hair this morning it fell neatly over most of her forehead.

She sighed, glanced around her office one more time, and stepped out with her bag. She eyed the nurses that were still there who were believers, and saw that as she left they began to discretely wrap up whatever they were doing. She quickly stashed the bag in her room with her other one, and headed for the control room. This late at night, her father was the only one in there. Either no one had this shift, or the technician was on a coffee break. No one was as dependable as Walter had been anymore…

"Dad…?" she asked as she came up the steps.

He glanced over at her. "Carolyn. Are you ready?"

"Yep," she sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be. I think everyone else is too."

Landry nodded. "All right then." He leaned over the front console, flipped a switched and pressed the button on the side of the microphone, patching himself in to the whole base.

"This is General Landry. All personnel assigned for training at the designated site are clear for dismissal at this time. I repeat, all personnel assigned to training maneuvers tomorrow are dismissed at this time. Thank you, and good night." He turned it off and straightened. "Well. That's that then."

She nodded. "Let's get out of here."

Hank shook his head. "You go on."

She frowned. "What?"

"I have to stay here for a little bit longer--make sure everyone else gets out and all that. Don't worry, I'll be over there in a couple of hours. The ships aren't landing until just before dawn, anyway."

"Dad, do you have to--"

"You know I do," he said gently. "Go on. I'll be fine."

Carolyn scowled, but let him pull her into an embrace. "All right…"

* * *

By the time morning was drawing near in Colorado, there was a bustle of people crowding the tunnel to the rendezvous site. There were confused family member wandering what in the world they were really doing there, and happily silent SGC personnel who wouldn't tell them yet. There were enough people that SG-1 and many of the people who actually knew what was going had to spill out into the trees at the edge of the clearing.

Sam had previously pulled out the communication array from the tunnel, and was waiting for the communication from the Tok'ra. Simon was the only poor clueless person outside with them, and he was gawking at its alien design without any respite to his curiosity. The whole thing was more fun than any of them had had in a long time.

"Carolyn, why the long face?" Sam demanded. "Come on, we're about to get out of here; what's wrong?"

The doctor crossed her arms tight and scowled. "Dad should have been here by now. I don't understand…"

The communication array crackled to life. "_SG-1. SG-1, do you read_?"

Sam turned back to the small portable console. It was Anise. "We read you."

"_We are on approach. Are your people ready to load and depart_?" Simon looked at her quizzically, and she grinned to herself.

"Most of us. We have a little snag, but you can probably fix that for us easily enough. You have Asgard beaming on one of those ships, right?"

"_Yes; this one. What is the problem_?"

* * *

The next day at Petra was busy, as temporary housing was put up, and some kind of organization was found. Tsion was to speak later, and there were rumors flying that he had decided to stay in Petra for good. Jack happened to know that it was true. Ray had told him. It wasn't that far of a stretch. The place was safe, and he could still transmit his internet messages.

He wished them all well with that, but right now the message he had just received from the states was a bit more important. He hurried through the city, trying to track down Rayford. He had thirty minutes or so, but he wanted to make sure he had time…

"Ray!" he spotted his friend across the rocks, and hurried to catch up. "Hey. Where you headed?"

"Up to see Tsion. What's wrong?"

"Ah, well, nothing's _wrong_…but we have to leave in less than an hour."

Rayford stopped. "Leave? You mean your friends are picking you up? You said something about that."

"Uh, yeah, something like that. I already caught Abdullah, said goodbye, pretty much. I wanted to find you too. We probably won't see each other again until the end of this, unfortunately."

His friend sighed. "Yeah, so you've said." He quirked a smile. "Sure I can't convince you guys to stay?"

"Sorry, Ray. Those people are my family, and I'm not talking about Sara and Gavin."

Rayford clapped him on the back. "Yeah, I know."

Jack collected Sara, Gavin, and their bags, and Rayford found Abdullah again and led them up to the cave near the high place, where Tsion, Chaim, and the other elders had set up shop, so to speak, so that they could all say goodbye. They were the only remaining members of either Trib Force in Petra.

After a few rounds of goodbyes and prayer, Jack glanced at his watch. "Well, I'll be getting a call any time now…"

Sara eyes him skeptically. "Jack, how exactly is this going to work, anyway?"

He grinned. "That's the fun part." He realized that Rayford, Abdullah, and Tsion were looking at him curiously.

"Are you not leaving us by plane?" Tsion asked.

"Uhm, well…"

Rayford crossed his arms. "Yes, Jack, how _are_ you leaving us?"

He sighed. "Look, I can't tell you guys everything now; Sara doesn't even know yet, but I promise I'll explain everything when we get back--though you'll probably have a good idea once we're gone."

"What are you talking about?" Abdullah asked, thoroughly confused.

"Okay, uhm, let me put it this way. In about five minutes, my family and I are going to walk around that corner…and we're not going to come back."

Sara blinked. "What?"

"Don't worry; it'll be okay."

"You give me an explanation like that and I'm supposed to think it's okay!"

"I wanted this to be a surprise; you'll see why," he promised gently.

She shook her head. "Jack O'Neill, you do beat all."

"I try," he smirked, and then turned back to the others. "Yeah…sorry about the whole weirdness thing."

Rayford shrugged. "Don't worry about it; I stopped trying to understand you and your people and long time ago. I know that we'll think about you and pray for you when you're gone, and that wherever you are you'll do the same for us. That's all I need to know."

"Thanks."

"What are friends for?"

Gavin hung off of Sara and reached toward Rayford. "Uncle Ray!" Sara let him take the boy, and Rayford grinned at him.

"Hey, buddy. I'm going to miss you too."

Gavin hugged him. "Me too. You tell Kenny bye 'gain for me?"

"Sure."

Jack's phone vibrated in his pocket--in the noise here he hadn't been able to trust the ring--and he pulled it out and glanced at the number. "Well, that's it. We've got to go." He answered it. "Hey. It's me."

"_We are now in position and prepared to beam up yourself and your family_."

He almost jerked; he turned away from the others and spoke softly. "Anise? How are you calling my phone? It gave me Daniel's number."

"_His device _is_ the one contacting you. The speaker and microphone of the communications array are merely being held to the telephone by your friends_," the Tok'ra answered wryly.

Jack blinked, feeling a little stupid. "Oh. Right. Well anyway, give a minute, will ya? Keep the thing connected; I'll call right back."

"_Very well_." The connection broke, and he turned back to his family and friends.

"Time to say goodbye," he sighed.

Rayford nodded, hugged Gavin once more and then set him down so the five adults could engage in a round of hugs and goodbyes.

"Though we did not know each other personally for longer than a few days, I will keep you always in my prayers," Tsion told them warmly. "You will be missed."

"I will miss you!" Abdullah added.

"_All_ of you," Rayford added. "Take care of yourselves."

Jack nodded, giving his friend a mock salute before pulling him into a bear hug. "You guys too, Ray. See you in three and a half years."

"Minus one month," Sara grinned. "And thank you for everything."

Jack guided his family around the next rock face, where they gripped their bags tightly, and he opened his phone again and pressed redial. "Okay, we're ready. Are you locked onto my transmitter signal?" Sara looked at him strangely.

"I _am. And the two life forms immediately beside you are your wife and son_?"

"Yep. You can press the button any time."

"_I will see you in ten seconds_." The call cut again, and he put the phone back in his pocket.

Sara swallowed and held onto Gavin. "Jack…?"

He grinned. "Hold on. And try not to close your eyes. It totally messes up the whole coolness factor."

The beam caught him like always. He stood calmly and let it. Sara yelped, but then everything dissolved and it went silent for a moment before he was reassembled on the front deck of the Goa'uld cargo ship. Another Tok'ra was in the pilot's seat, and Anise/Freya was standing by the console watching them in amusement as Sara's shout finished once she was whole again. Thankfully it was Freya who spoke; there was no need to start scaring people immediately.

"Welcome aboard," she smiled.

Sara jerked, dropping her bag and looking around quickly. Jack let his and Gavin's go and pulled a wide-eyed Gavin out of her arms before she dropped him. "_Aboard_….?"

"Yep, you heard her right." Jack motioned out the front windows, and Sara stared at the crescent of the Earth that rested beside the night sky at an angle.

"_This_ is what you've been hiding from me all these years?"

"Well, just for the last fourteen or fifteen, but, well, yeah…There's more though," he admitted sheepishly.

"I knew it."


	58. The Great Escape

Sorry this took so long! But I wanted this chapter to be just right...It's the end of the first 'half' of the story, per se. The second half probably won't be as long though! But this is just the first half as far as the Tribulation goes. Anyway, you'll see what I mean.

Hope to hear from you guys soon; I can't wait to asee what you think of _this _chapter, as long as you don't kill me...

Chapter 58

Hank Landry tugged again at the zip ties that bound him to his own office chair, but it was use. In theory he could wheel the chair anywhere he wanted, but there were Peacekeeper guards both inside and outside his office, and unfortunately anyone who would have protested was long gone--in more ways than one.

Not long after all of the other believers had cleared out, Hank had been preparing to comb everything over once more and leave. He hadn't left quickly enough. A squad of Peacekeepers had burst through the ladder entrance to the base and overtaken him just down the corridor from his office, which they had promptly returned him to. A few SGC personnel that were not believers nonetheless didn't take kindly to their commanding officer being accosted on his own base, and protested.

If they already hade the mark of loyalty they had been detained elsewhere…but those that did not had immediately been dispatched as suspected insurgents. He tried not to think about how horribly he'd failed all of them--especially those that were dead and would never have another chance to learn the truth of God's love.

One of the Peacekeepers inside the door actually moved when his radio squawked to life. Hank couldn't understand just what was said, but in seconds both he and his companion had backed out of the office and shut the door.

He understood why when there was a bright white shimmer in front of him, and an Asgard teleport beam deposited….Nicolae Carpathia himself. The potentate smirked.

"So good of you to wait for me, Hank."

Landry scowled. "I though the _Odyssey_ had gone already."

"Oh, it has. But what I did not tell anyone that did not need to know was that I had it install a transporting system on one or two Global Community satellites. If it is nothing that involves the public, I can beam anywhere I wish now, without being forced to use that holographic nonsense."

"You seemed impressed enough with it in the beginning," he muttered.

"That was more than three years ago; this is so much more convenient, would you not say so?"

Hank just glared. "No. I wouldn't."

Carpathia shrugged. "No, I do not suppose _you_ would at this point. But let us cut to the chase. You are obviously no longer putting forth a pretense of loyalty, so am I to assume that--"

"I know that you know that I despise you? Yes, you are."

"Did you really think I would blindly overlook such things as that ridiculous planned 'training maneuver'? Or that it would really take so long for you to gather the information I wanted? I knew you were stalling. And I know what you are really doing."

Hank smirked now. "Do you really?"

Carpathia glared. "I know you are not using that field for training."

"Of course we aren't. But I won't tell you what we _are_ using it for."

* * *

"So anyway, basically we use that ring thing…"

"The…Stargate, you said?"

Jack nodded. "Right. We use that thing to go all over the place now, instead of just that one planet. Racked up a few enemies along the way. My job title since you've been married to me this time has been Director of Homeworld Security, actually."

Sara grinned a little. "Really?"

"Oh yeah. Before that I was the leader of a field team for a long time at the SGC--the bas in Colorado. You met the other three original members--Sam, Daniel, and, well…Murray. His name was actually Teal'c…"

She winced. "Oh…not from around here, huh?"

"Nope. But he can tell you about that in a few years, I guess," Jack said, smiling sadly. "In the meantime I can tell you my side of that really long story."

"That wasn't it?"

"Are you kidding? It goes _way_ beyond 'we found this thing and we use it and we explore.' I haven't even told you about our base in the Pegasus Galaxy yet."

"The Pegasus _Galaxy_?"

He nodded. "Yep. Atlantis."

"Why would they name a base that?"

"We didn't. The race that built the stargates--they're called the Ancients--did, and they named it that. It's the basis of the supposed myth of the city of Atlantis actually. Apparently when the stories said lost, they meant _really_ lost."

Sara shook her head in amazement--or was it amusement? "I guess so." She raised an eyebrow. "If Sam, Daniel, and…Murray, Teak, whoever…were the original members of the team, then where does Vala come in?"

Jack chuckled a little. "That's a long involved story in itself. Why don't you have she and Daniel tell you; they know a lot more than I do because I wasn't even there for most of it. She came later; she's not from around here either."

"Hmm. I think I could have figured that one out on my own, actually."

He opened his mouth a scold her, but then closed it again. She was right. "Well, anyway..." He was interrupted when Freya turned from her secondary console.

"We will land shortly."

Jack sat up from his position against the wall, as did Sara. Gavin continued to stare in fascination at the walls, and finger the patterns in them. They were indeed landing. He could see the trees just below them, and the edge of the clearing designated as the rendezvous point, he assumed.

"Won't someone see this thing….?" Sara asked quietly.

"Actually, we're flying in a group of several, and no they won't, because they're all cloaked."

"Like in Star Trek?"

He shrugged. "Well, if you _really_ want to think of it that way…but just so you know, over time we SGC people have come to take offense to things in our world being compared to Star Trek."

"I see," she grinned.

In minutes they were landed, and Sara was backing out of the ship, gaping at the fact that she couldn't see it once they were outside. "Well…what does it look like?"

"You'll see once we get where we're going?"

"It'll be another planet, won't it?" she asked in awe.

Jack grinned. "Yep."

Sam, Daniel, Vala, Reynolds, and Hammond were already well on their way out of the trees and toward the ships; Simon was trailing behind them, gaping at what he couldn't see, but knew was there. Jack caught a few of his stunned sentences as the poor man caught up to his wife. "Sam, I guess I suspected…but I didn't think--I mean, I…Are we really going to another _planet_?"

"Youbetcha, preacher," Jack grinned, clapping him on the back. "Don't worry; it'll be a blast."

"And don't worry; we'll explain everything to everyone in more detail as soon as we're safely out of here," Sam promised, before giving both Jack and Sara. Then she backed off and let Daniel and Vala in.

"It's definitely good to see you guys again," Daniel commented with relief.

"Right. You too," Sara answered, still looking a little bewildered.

Sam chuckled and gave her another hug. "You'll get used to it."

Once the welcomes and introductions were done, Sara scooped up Gavin, gave him a kiss and a squeeze, and sent him running off with his 'aunts and uncles' while they began to load the crates onto the ships. Then she tugged on Jack's arm and pulled him aside a bit.

"So…that thing that tracked me down twelve or thirteen years ago…?"

"Was an alien. Yeah. It was some sort of crystal-form thing that figured out how to take my shape. It didn't mean any harm; it was only trying to help, I think."

She smiled a little. "I think it did. If that had never happened, we might have had a harder time getting together again."

Jack shrugged. "Maybe. If that's true, then I'm glad it did," he said, and then kissed her. "I love you, Sara."

"I love you too, Jack O'Neill," she grinned.

* * *

Jenny woke up in one of the women's boarding rooms in the caves feeling just a little lonely. She didn't know many of the other people here, and Shane wouldn't be up for a while, wherever he was, with the other single men. Right now she couldn't remember. They had only gotten here the morning before, and they had seen and been told so much already that everything was all but a blur. She wondered if she would ever really get used to life here.

But it was what they had to do, and she didn't mind, as long as Shane was here.

She glanced at her one bag, which was beside her cot at her head. The cot was low, so she barely had to reach down to grab her phone. Of course it wouldn't work down here, but the phone _was _satellite connected; Sam had given it to her a few months ago, something about needing to be more easily contacted if she was a part of 'our type of family.' Whatever that meant. She suspected it had something to do with whatever she and the others really did at work.

Jenny crawled out of bed, wrapped her blanket around her shoulders, and decided to see if it would work if she walked back up the tunnel. She wouldn't go outside without permission--one of the explicit safety rules of the safe house--but maybe it would work just from this side of the 'door.'

To her delight, she wasn't even quite all the way up the tunnel when the phone blinked at her to inform that it was ready to dial. Jenny went the last several yards to the supposedly dead end tunnel that was really the door, and stood there using the light from the phone as a flashlight while she dialed Sam's number. It took a little longer than usual for her to answer.

"_Jenny! Hi_."

"Hey Sam. You still around?"

"_Sort of. But in about an hour this number won't work anymore. I was going to try to call you myself before we went, well, out of range_."

She raised an eyebrow in the darkness. "How can you go out of range with a satellite phone?"

"_Well…_"

Jenny shook her head. "I know. You can't tell me. But you'd better explain everything when you get back."

"_I will, I promise, but right now the less you know the safer you are, I hope_."

She sighed. "All right. But…Sam?"

"_What is it_?"

Jenny shifted uncomfortably. "Well…this place is a little big. How is it not listed somewhere? How is it so safe here?"

"_It's not listed anywhere because there was no natural entrance a few months ago--not one that had been around in the past few hundred years, anyway. It took a lot of my connections at work to find it and the entrances created_."

She blinked incredulously. "In just a few months? Without anyone knowing? How is that even possible?"

Sam laughed. "_Like I said; you'll hear about everything later_." She let her talk to Simon for a bit, and most of the others hopped on to bid her farewell. By the time the phone was given back to Sam, she was nearly in tears.

"I'm going to miss all of you," she swallowed. "Take care of yourselves, and don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"_I could say the same to you_."

Jenny managed to laugh a little. "I hear you. Sam?"

"_Hmm_?"

"You make a great mom." From the other end of the phone connection, she heard the woman who had done so much for her suddenly choke up.

"_Thank you for letting me_," Sam said softly, after a long moment. "_Just remember that Simon and I love you as if you were ours, and we always will. You know that, don't you_?"

"Of course I do," Jenny gulped. "I love you guys too. Thanks for everything…"

There was another pause, as if she were debating whether to say something, when finally she blurted out, "In half an hour, try to get outside if you can. Look up and east, back toward Colorado Springs. You might be able to see something."

"I'll try."

* * *

Everything was loaded, and the Tok'ra were only making sure that everything was arranged and balanced well enough. Apparently with space travel that still mattered. They still had to get out of the atmosphere, too, after all. Most of the people were split up and loaded onto the ships, too--all three or four hundred of them. It was good thing the other ships were Al'kesh, except for the one cargo ship. They needed the room.

It had taken quite a bit of quick explaining, and in the end they'd had to de-cloak the cargo ship for a moment for the families of the SGC personnel to believe them. Of course, they didn't have time for the whole story, but those who knew were explaining it to their own families in more detail as they waited to lift off. As a few marines kept watch on the perimeter, a few of them worked still outside grabbing the last few things, sweeping the area to make sure nothing was left behind that could give them away, besides the tunnel. A few stranglers still hadn't been able to bring themselves to board the ships. They had a little bit of time, because they couldn't leave now.

Hank Landry hadn't arrived yet.

Carolyn was pacing the clearing biting a thumbnail when he _finally_ answered his cell phone. "Where are you?! We're worried sick; are you all right?"

"_I'm fine,_ _Carolyn_." But he gave no other information immediately. That wasn't normal. And she could hear it in his voice; something was wrong.

"Okay…" she began slowly. "So when will you be here?"

"_It should be soon. I'm sorry_."

"Dad?"

"_Yes_?"

"Is something wrong?"

"_Of course not. I'm coming. Goodbye_."

"Bye…" She scowled uncertainly; she had very bad feeling about this. She was about to pull the phone away from her ear, when she realized that the connection hadn't been cut. "That was when a torrent of words assaulted her ear.

"_All of you, get going! Carpathia has me; just get out of h_-" There was a thumping and a crunching sound, and the connection was broken.

"Dad? Dad!" When she heard nothing, Carolyn whipped the phone away from her face, shoved it in her pocket and ran back toward the ships. "Sam! Daniel! Somebody!"

Daniel was the first to stick his head out the door of the cargo ship. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"They have dad!"

"How do you know--?"

She explained as well as she could in ten seconds, and Daniel was already turning and running back into the ship. "Freya!"

Vala was just inside, and she frowned at his tone.

The Tok'ra host turned quickly. The symbiotes had all been staying out of the way. They could explain that part to the families later, when they had more times and less danger. "Is there a problem?"

"General Landry. We think Carpathia's people have him. Can you lock onto his subcutaneous transmitter from here?"

She turned back to her console. "Your SGC is not far. That should be possible…yes. I have the signal."

"Then get him here now!" Carolyn all but shouted.

* * *

He wasn't able to finish his warning.

One of Carpathia's Peacekeepers that had been brought in a few minutes before slapped the phone out of his hands, and Nicolae himself immediately smashed it with the heel of one of his pristine black shoes. The man who would be king was livid.

"Tell your men to attack--_now_!" he screamed at his people.

One of the peacekeepers went for his radio. "No!" Hank shouted. But the man hurried out of the office and shut the door, and he was left alone with Carpathia again. The potentate turned on his, pulling one a gun.

"Since you quite obviously refuse to cooperate, Hank, I am afraid that you have, as they say, 'outlived your usefulness,'" he growled.

Landry swallowed, sent up a prayer and a thought to his daughter. _I'm sorry, Carolyn. I'll see you in a few years…_He saw Nicolae pull the trigger, and he even heard the shot--but he never felt it.

* * *

Carpathia snarled in rage when Landry disappeared in a white flash, barely avoided the bullet. Instead, the glass window separating the office from the conference shattered. The door flew open and half a dozen of his men poured in, weapons at the ready and immediately confused when they saw no general.

"Do not just stand there! Contact your men in the field, and then go to join them! Those people must not get off this planet!"

* * *

They were all more than relieved when Hank Landry appeared on the desk in one piece. A chair which he was tied to came with him, but he was otherwise unharmed. Carolyn hurried to untie him.

"That was timing…" he muttered in surprise. Then he seemed to snap out of it, and looked at them wide-eyed. "They have people here; they're going to attack!" he blurted suddenly. "We have to get moving!"

Daniel responded quickly. They didn't have radios passed out yet, so he used his cell phone to get to Jack, and quietly tell him to help them get everyone calmly off the field and onto the ships. They would try to do this without letting the Peacekeepers know they knew they were there, if they could.

* * *

"Come on," Jack said as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, knowing he had to look a little nervous. He was glad Gavin was already on the cargo ship with a couple of the other mothers..

"What?" Sara asked, coming up beside him.

"Leave the communication console. We're going to the ship right _now_," he said as calmly as he could.

She stiffened. "What is it?"

"Peacekeepers. They're here somewhere."

"_What_…?"

"Let's just go," he said, and took her arm. Across the clearing, Daniel, Sam, Carolyn, and a few others were coming out of the cargo ship and urging the remaining few people on the ship. As they headed out onto the field, the marines at the perimeter were backing up toward the ships as well.

That was when they heard the first shots.

Two marines went down immediately.

The straggling family members near the ships scurried through the doors of the ships--the only part of them visible--as fast as they could. Sam and Daniel were shoving the last of them in. "Go!" Jack shot forward into a run as the marines turned to fire back at the small team of Peacekeepers coming out of the trees.

He meant to pull Sara in front of him, to offer some measure of protection, but he couldn't do it fast enough. Even as we swung her around in mid-run, he heard her scream in pain. Second later he found himself being pulled down in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Jack!" Daniel's voice was far away, by the ships. He knew his friend was standing just outside the cargo ship, where everyone from the Trib Force SG-1 was riding for the trip to their new home. He just had to get himself and Sara there, so they could leave. Besides the marines, they were the last ones outside. But it was so far away….

"Sara….Sara!" She was curled under him, blood already soaking the side of her shirt. No, no, please no…"We have to go!" He tried to pull her up, but she cried out. I'm sorry; come on!" Jack yelled, and pulled her along anyway. He could see all of their friends through the door of that cargo ship, waiting for them. Daniel, Reynolds, and Simon started to run out to help them.

"Stay inside!" he yelled at them.

They didn't listen.

Sara's breathing was harsh in his ears, broken. "Jack, just…go," she gasped.

"No!"

He noticed a couple more of the marines go down. A couple more were dragging the one that was still alive toward the closest Al'kesh, while those left continued to fire on the Peacekeepers. Half of the small team had been taken out, but they kept coming.

Daniel and Reynolds reached them first, and took Sara's weight, picked her up. It wasn't until then that Jack realized he'd twisted his ankle in the fall; when Sara was gone, he crumpled. Simon bolstered him up and dragged him after the men.

Jack heard Daniel cry out, and looked just ahead and saw he'd been hit in the leg by a stray bullet--the same leg that had been broken a couple of years ago in the earthquake. As he and Sam caught up, Jack caught the pain and determination on Daniel's face; he pushed ahead, all but stumbling the last few strides to the door. The rest of their friends--Carolyn, Reynolds, Hammond, Sam, Vala, Landry--were near the door, and several helped pull them all in and get the door shut. Anise/Freya was already in her seat, along with the other Tok'ra pilot in his.

"We are lifting off!" Freya called quickly.

There was a jolt as the ship got off the ground, and then a bit of a swaying ride as they climbed quickly out of the atmosphere, the other ships on their heels. As they left the ground they heard gunshots, but bullets couldn't do much of anything to the hulls of the Goa'uld ships.

From the jolt at takeoff they had all landed in something of a heap, and Sara was crying in pain. The rest of them cleared away from her to let Carolyn get at her, and someone that Jack didn't see handed her her medical bag. He scrambled up on his knees to get close to her on the other side. Then he remembered something else. "Daniel! You okay?" He glanced back. Daniel had landed against a wall, and was sitting holding his bleeding leg and grimacing. A worried Vala was grabbing things from the medical bag to tend to him.

"I'll be okay. Is she all right…?"

Good question. He snapped back around to Sara and Carolyn, and what he saw made his heart stutter. It wasn't only a bullet that had hit her, but several, leaving the left side of her torso almost covered in blood. He wasn't even sure if it was a blessing or a curse that they had all missed her heart.

Even as Carolyn ripped off her jacket to help with the bleeding, Sara was trying to reach out to Jack. He caught her hand. "Just hang in there, Sara, please…You'll be all right…" But she was shaking her head.

He noticed Daniel take the things from Vala, and force her not to worry over him too much. He pushed her back toward the rest of them, and she stood up to meet Anise/Freya, who was coming toward them now that they were in space and she no longer needed to remain at her console.

Jack squeezed Sara's hand. "I'll be right back." He stood and took the few strides to the two woman.

"Do you have a hand-held healing device?" Vala was asking, voice hushed.

"We do not," Freya apologized, shaking her head.

"But we brought mine!"

"That crate is on one of the Al'kesh with the heavier medical supplies." She glanced toward Sara apologetically, and Anise spoke softly. "Even if we had one on board this ship, with its limited power not even one of us could heal her quickly enough to save her--much less you," she told Vala. "And the bullets still within her body would have to be removed first, which we do not have the means for, either. And there would not be enough time."

Jack's teeth clenched. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. There _has_ to be something you can do."

He didn't realize Carolyn had joined them until she spoke in a strained, tired tone. "She's right. There isn't anything I can do, either. I'm so sorry…"

"You're talking like she's already dead!" he hissed quietly. "But she's not, and we can't let it happen! She--we have a two year old son for cryin' out loud!"

"That doesn't change the fact that we can't help her!" Carolyn whispered back, and now he saw that there were tears in her eyes. Maybe now that they were off of Earth, with only their brothers and sisters in Christ, medical detachment didn't matter so much anymore. "Trust me; if I thought there was any chance…"

Jack felt ready to cry from the pain in his throat alone--the pressure of tears building there. This couldn't be happening.

He turned around as the group broke; the rest of the others were still gathered near Sara. Slowly he went back and knelt beside her. "Sara…"

She coughed up blood, but she smiled at him through wet eyes. "I guess…you'll have to tell…me the rest of…that long story later…hmm?" Her breath was labored and fading, her eyes flickering open and shut.

"I--yeah, I will. I promise," he told her, taking her hand again.

"Good," she swallowed. "I love you, Jack…and Gavin."

His vison blurred suddenly. "I know. I'll tell him, a-and we'll all take care of him." What was he saying? She couldn't leave! He needed her; Gavin needed her.

Sara smiled a little more, and managed to squeeze his hand a bit. "I know…you will. I'll see you soon…"

Suddenly he leaned closer and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Sara! Please don't--" But by the time he had pulled back again, she was gone. "No…"

* * *

Jack collapsed in tears almost immediately. Sam and Hammond gently pulled him away from his wife's body, and Daniel wasn't even sure he noticed. As Carolyn and Simon gently moved the body against the wall and covered it, Daniel motioned that Sam and George should bring Jack his way. Sam seemed to understand first, and led the way to guide him over. Together the two of them set Jack against the wall next to Daniel, who pulled his friend into his arms.

Jack resisted the close contact at first, tried to pull away, but Daniel held onto him until he calmed down and went limp, sobbing. Vala sat on the other side of Daniel, and Sam sat down on the other side of Jack and began to systematically rub his back. Her face was already streaked with tears.

Carolyn moved her medical kit near them and silently began to work on carefully cleaning Daniel's leg. There was no bullet to remove; it had gone straight through the fleshy part of his calf and missed the bone this time, thank goodness. While she did that, the generals shooed everyone else but Reynolds and Simon out of the smaller front part of the cargo ship, and shut the door. Hammond punched the control to keep the door from being opened from the other side.

They didn't need anyone wandering in here with Gavin. They could explain why they'd locked the door later.

His leg throbbed as Carolyn bandaged it, but Daniel hardly noticed beyond the pain he was feeling for his friend. _I don't understand!_

He didn't know how long it took for Jack to calm down, but SG-1 stayed with him until his eyes opened again. He didn't say anything for a long while; he only glanced slowly around at all of them, giving thanks for their for their support. Then he sat back against the wall silently, staring at nothing. That was when Daniel realized they were in hyperspace.

After a while of silence, Sam gave Jack's shoulder another gentle pat, and got up to go to her husband. Vala eventually gave his arm a squeeze and then went across the chamber to the others, and Daniel was left with Jack. But he didn't mind; he would sit here as long as he needed. It wasn't like he should be getting up and walking around anyway.

"How's your leg?"

Jack's voice startled him so much he almost jumped to his feet without thinking. As it was, his head hit the wall rather hard. "Jack! Whoa…" He gulped in a breath and sighed. "I'm fine….it'll be fine, thanks."

"Good."

Daniel looked at his friend worriedly. "What about you?"

He didn't answer, and there was silence for another long moment. "She made me promise to cremate her if…anything happened," he said finally. His voice was barely a whisper, but as the only sound in the closed space it drifted through the whole front section of the ship. "I didn't think anything would. I didn't want to think…"

A lump solidified in his throat, and Daniel squeezed his friend's shoulder gently. "I know." Back on Abydos, all he'd been able to do was give the then-stony O'Neill a kick in the pants, per se. He hadn't known what the man was feeling, losing a child. But he knew what it was to lose a wife. He only hoped that would allow him to be more helpful this time.

Jack pulled in a deep breath, and let it out long and slow. "We knew we'd be on the run one day. She uh…she didn't want me to feel any extra ties to any one place; she didn't want it impair my judgment, put me or any of you in danger." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Three and a half years. It seems like so long. But…I guess it's a lot more than I had before I was a believer." Daniel couldn't think of anything but to nod at that.

"Do you have a zat?" he asked suddenly. When Daniel looked at him incomprehensively, he amended. "It's the closest we can get out here," he said quietly. Oh.

"Jack, I--"

"Please." Jack looked at him pleadingly, and he sighed.

"All right…" He supposed it _was_ the best course of action. If they didn't do something, they risked Gavin seeing something once they'd landed.

Wincing from the shift, he reached down and pulled the zat off of his leg holster. He'd put it on while they were loading, just in case. Then, of course, it turned out that they were attacked after all. He started to push himself off the wall and up, but Jack held out an arm to stop him.

"No. Give it to me," he said, turning his hand open to accept it.

Daniel winced. "Jack…"

"Daniel."

He hesitated, and realized that everyone was watching them. Maybe they were doing it discretely, but they were watching. He handed the zat over. Jack nodded in thanks, got up, and moved off.

Daniel pulled himself up on the wall anyway. The others stood. Sam came over to help him stand the rest of the way. Anise/Freya and the other pilot glanced back sadly.

Jack stood still for a long moment, before aiming and priming the zat. Daniel couldn't help but jerk a little when he fired three times in quick succession. The covered form against the wall by the door disappeared, and the action was followed by more long minutes of silence.

Seeming confident that the wall was holding him up all right, Sam moved away from Daniel to fold Jack into a gentle embrace. He accepted it; held on for a while. Daniel hobbled over from the wall to join them, and in going to Daniel to help him, Vala ended up in the group hug, too, while the others watched on, concerned.

This was the type of silent communication of caring for each other that had kept SG-1 together for so long.

They could only hope that it, along with their faith, would keep them together through the Great Tribulation.


	59. New Home

Hey guys! Sorry again, lol. I've had a lot of stuff to get ready for. I'kll be gone to writing camp at a university starting tomorrow, so I'll be gone for a week, which means it'll be longer than that before I can post again but then again, right now I have the whole next chapter in my head, so it still shouldn't be as slow as this one was. Really sorry about that. I knew where I was going with the escape, but had a little thinking about what to do right after that.

Anyway, I hope you'll review this, so I kow how you think I'm doing with the aftermath; and so I know you're all still here ;) Thanks so much to all of you! Don't worry; the second half of the Tribulation here should move faster since there is a little less going on, and all. But never mind; enjoy! And have a great week!

Chapter 59

It took almost two days to get to the planet the Tok'ra had scouted and prepared for them, and once there they were all more than grateful to get out of the ships and into the cool crystal-lined tunnels. Those who had only seen the single smaller example back on Earth, however, seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by the extent of the strangely-formed tunnels--and the fact that they were actually on another planet.

Those who knew what was going on unloaded the ships through the rings, and passed out room assignments. There were small rooms for families and couples, and large ones to house the singles dorm-style, just as with many of the shelters back on Earth. General Landry and Daniel, meanwhile, along with a few of the others, held an informational meeting for the still-confused families to explain the beginnings of the Stargate program, and how it led to them being here today.

But they would also need to know what else they could be facing out here, and it was much more than could be told in one meeting. They arranged more for later.

Daniel noticed that Jack kept busy. Knowing he probably needed that right now, he left him alone to do it, for a while. It wasn't until late that night on their new planet--and what would have been even later on Earth--when Jack was still running around the underground complex trying to help anyone and everyone do anything, that he flagged him down. Jack, of course, saw him hobbling toward him before he even said anything.

"What do you want, Daniel?" he asked gruffly.

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest disapprovingly. "Ah, well, I'd like to know who's watching your child while you're out here."

"Carolyn. She's the doc and all, so she gets her own little room off the infirmary here even though she's single. She's keeping him for now; there's a lot to get done around here, you know."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah…I know," he said gently, putting much more meaning into that sentence. There was a long moment of silence. "What does he know?" he asked quietly.

Jack swallowed. "I uh…I told him she had to go…for a while. It's all I could really say for now. He's a little agitated for now, that's all. He's too young to understand…I'll have to explain when he's older, and all, so he doesn't think she abandoned him or anything. Hopefully by the time I have to do that they'll all be back anyway…But I should get back to work."

"Jack…"

Jack started to say something, but though better of it and switched gears quite abruptly. "Well, what else am I supposed to do?" he demanded. His face relayed a mixture of anger, sorrow, and regret that Daniel knew all too well, from his own past.

"You could start by not working yourself into exhaustion. It doesn't really help in the long run."

"Daniel--"

"I know you feel like you have to do that, for now. That's fine, but it doesn't change anything." He felt a sharp pang in his chest as he swallowed. "Besides…you have so much more than I ever did. You have Gavin, and…and you know where she is."

Jack grimaced. "Aw, Daniel…"

But Daniel realized that he was going to use that to turn the conversation away from himself. "Don't, Jack. I'm fine."

His friend shrugged. "No, you're not--but then neither am I."

"Well at least we've known each other long enough to know that much," Daniel said softly. He trailed off and grimaced, then pushed one of the crutches that had been scrounged up for him once they'd landed out of the way, and leaned against the wall of the tunnel and stood on his good leg.

"Yeah…" Jack trailed. "Uh, how's the leg doing?"

"Fine. Carolyn confirmed that it should heal up all right."

"Good." He rubbed surreptitiously at his eyes. "I just…" His face creased into a confused mask of pain. "I don't care if it's cliché, but it happened so fast. I'm not even sure it's really hit me yet. Or maybe things are just…different these days."

They had been different for a while now. Dealing with things like this and bouncing back quickly was now an element of survival that they were all feeling the fallout from. Daniel just nodded silently. He wanted to say something, but Jack composed himself and moved on in the conversation.

"Anyway, uh, Hank and George told me to tell you that we're calling a meeting of everybody in the morning sometimes."

He blinked. "Why?"

Jack shrugged. "Well, you know, we're pretty much a colony out here. We're going to need some organization--leadership."

"Of course; and I'm sure they'll do a good job of it."

"Well…"

Daniel didn't like the sound of that. "_Well_, what?"

"It's not them. George just became a believer, so that doesn't work and he knows that, and Hank wouldn't take a position like that, either."

"Why not? General Landry has been the CO of the SGC for years already. He would do it well, and so would you."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't accept the position either."

Daniel shook his head and crossed his arms. "And why not, Jack?"

O'Neill crossed his own. "Well Hank hasn't been a believer quite as long as most of us, and he doesn't feel he's qualified. Maybe that's true, and maybe not, but it doesn't matter because he won't. Me, maybe I've been a believer since not longer after the beginning, but I don't think I'm right for the job. Sure, I'm a Christian. I love God just as much as the rest of us. But…I guess I have more of a tendency to question things, and you know my personality. Do you really think I would fit in that position?"

"Well…if God led you to do that, I can see how it would work."

Jack nodded. "Exactly. That's the thing: I don't think He's leading me to do that. But all three of us are pretty sure who's He's leading us to ask to do it."

Suddenly he was worried about what Jack would say next. A knot tightened in his stomach, but he fought to keep it from showing. "Who?"

Jack scratched his head, wouldn't look at him for a moment. "Well, you, actually. We thought I should give you a heads up before tomorrow. I was actually about to come find you. We didn't want to put you on the spot so much, like we did at Christmas. I think that freaked you out a little bit."

Daniel snorted. "Just a little. Jack, are you sure? I mean, I--"

"You wouldn't have any problem doing it, Daniel. You managed two departments by yourself back at the SGC."

"I know; that's not what I mean…" He trailed off uncertainly, and Jack managed a small for him; Daniel loved his friend even more for it.

"Just remember what we all told you at Christmas, and you'll be fine. But sleep on it tonight, ad pray about it. If it's not the right thing, you don't have to accept, either, though I don't know who else we'd get."

He sighed. "All right, Jack."

Jack gave him a thump on the back. "Good. Now go and get some sleep."

"You too," Daniel shot back immediately.

"All right, all right…good night."

Jack wandered off, and Daniel watched him go, his heart aching for his best friend's pain. _Be with him, God. Help him through this as only you can._

* * *

When Sam got back, Simon was still pacing their room, looking around in wonderment at the crystal walls. "I wish Jenny could see this," he murmured to her as she approached.

"Me too," she sighed. "But I understand why she stayed."

He nodded, and finally turned to look at her. "It's a lot to take in, and they didn't even tell us everything in the meeting--or so they said.

"No, they were being quite serious. There's plenty more for later. You've got most of the basics you need, though."

Simon shook his head. "I knew there was more going on at that base of yours, more than deep space radar telemetry, anyway. Especially in the past few years; what use would the Antichrist have for that? I knew there must be something you were doing that wasn't being released to the general public. Maybe I even thought it had something to do with space. But if so, I only thought that perhaps it was a new design for an Earth-built space vehicle or some such thing. I never thought…"

Sam smirked. "The terms 'aliens' and 'frequent instantaneous space travel' never crossed your mind, did they?"

"Not exactly, no."

"Wait until you see the _real_ aliens. There are some weird looking guys out here."

"I thought those people that brought the ships were 'aliens,' per se. There was something about them being duel being, one inhabiting the other…"

She shrugged. "It is true that the Tok'ra have symbiotes with their own personalities. They share the body. But the body _is_ human; the hosts are only alien in the way of being from another planet."

He blinked. "I suppose that's why you have your job and I have mine."

Sam came up and wrapped her arms around him. "You'll get used to it eventually. And just think how much we can do this way. Daniel and Hank explained that Carpathia doesn't have as strong of a foothold out here, didn't they?"

"Indeed they did," Simon agreed, hugging her tightly and them letting go. "And I suppose that makes sense. It would be harder to take control of an entire galaxy versus a single planet."

"But the prophecies are still true, of course," she winced. "They have to be. Unfortunately, that means he still does have a good degree of control out here, on the populated planets anyway. He's still enforcing the mark. It's just that there isn't any reason for him to have troops on empty planets, and as big as the universe is, there are plenty of them around, and many have stargates."

Simon nodded slowly. "I would still like to see one of those."

"There's one on the surface; we'll use it sometimes. It's how we'll keep in contact with the Tok'ra and other groups of believers now that we're off Earth. We only had to use the ships because there was so much to transport, and we would have never been able to hold the base long enough to get everyone through the 'gate there. Then there was the risk of someone getting the address of this planet. We're only relatively safe here because no-one knows where we are."

"Then let's hope it stays that way as long as possible." He sighed, "I have quite a lot to get used to, don't I?"

* * *

Jack peeked into the tiny room quietly, expecting both Gavin and Carolyn to be asleep. Instead, Carolyn was next to her bed unpacking a crate to the light of a flashlight, and it was only Gavin sprawled out under the blanket, thumb in his mouth.

"Uhm…hello…"

Carolyn glanced back, stood quietly when she saw him. "Hey…how are you doing?" she asked softly.

All he did was shrug; he didn't know how to answer that. "How's Gavin?"

"All right," she answered, folding her arms in front of her. "It took him a little while to calm down, but I think he'll be okay--for now, anyway." She looked at him sympathetically. "He's old enough to want his mommy and say so, but still young enough to forget anything else if he has something to distract him. I put him to work sorting some of the more durable infirmary supplies. He had fun for a while."

"That's good…" he trailed. "Uhm, I'll take him back now, I guess. Thanks for watching him."

"You're welcome; any time," she assured him.

Jack crossed to the bed silently, and sat on the edge for a moment, stroking his son's hair. "Come on, buddy," he sighed quietly. He scooped him up in his arms as gently as possible, trying not to wake him, and carried him out.

* * *

Daniel turned over again, trying to move the cheap standard-issue SGC comforter and pillows into a more comfortable arrangement around himself on the bed that was no more than a protruding rock ledge cut by the tunnel-digging crystals and covered in pads provided by the Tok'ra. It was a little bigger than a normal bed on Earth, but that was about the only plus in the small accommodations provided for each family or couple.

The quarters were only standard rooms cut by the Tok'ra crystals. Daniel and Vala's quarters was a single room, with the ledge they were sleeping on; two smaller ones inset in the walls that could presumably be used as either benches, shelves, or beds for children, if that happened; and an even smaller, roughly round one jutting up in the middle of the room with small rock stools around it, like a kitchen table. If it had all been metal instead of rock and crystal, it almost would have reminded him of a Klingon ship.

But it was what they had, and for now they were safe. That was all they could ask for in these times.

Vala wrapped her arms around him from behind. "What is it?" she sighed, picking her head up off the pillows to put it on his shoulder. "You've been tossing and turning all night."

"A lot of things," he admitted. "Jack…and other things."

"Like what?" Daniel rolled over in her arms, and returned the gentle hold. He told her about what Jack had said about what would happen in the morning. "Have you prayed about it?"

"That's what I've been doing."

She looked into his eyes and smiled gently. "Then stop worrying about it. He'll let you know what to do when you need to know."

"But do you really think I could do that? Do you think I _should_?"

"You shouldn't ask me. I'm your wife; I'm biased."

"I know, but I still want to know what you think."

Vala kissed him briefly. "Of course _I_ think you would do a great job of it. But it's not up to me

"Thanks anyway."

"You're welcome. Now try to get to sleep, all right?"

"I'll try," Daniel promised. But before he did, he prayed a little longer.

* * *

The next morning, Daniel found Jack, Hank, and George in the tunnel just outside the only chamber in the underground facility large enough to hold everyone that lived there. Landry noticed him first.

"There he is; the man of the hour," Hank commented as he approached.

Daniel shifted on his crutches and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Guys…I don't have an answer yet. I mean, I do, but I think the answer I'm getting right now is to wait for the answer."

Jack looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, there's nothing wrong with that. Actually, if you tell everybody that--or if we tell them that you're still thinking and praying about it--they might respect you even more."

"To know that you're not immediately declining or jumping right into it," George nodded in agreement. "It's one of the marks of a good leader."

"And respect is important if you're going to lead any group of people," Hank pointed out.

Daniel sighed. "Would you stop talking like it's a done deal already? This is not a publicity stunt."

"Of course not. We know it's not up to us--any of us," Jack said earnestly. "But aren't we allowed to have a hunch on who we think God wants in this position?"

"As long as you don't push your hunch into reality just because you think it's right," he relented.

But they were right about what the crowds would think. Everyone responded well to the fact that Daniel needed more time before giving an answer to the call to the position.

Beyond that, the meeting consisted of the announcement of times for more info meetings on the history of the stargate program for those that didn't know, and the time of a memorial service led by Pastor Simon Dockett that was to be held the next day for the three lives that had been lost in the escape from Earth--two marines, and Sara O'Neill. There was an update on the condition of Doctor Lam's only current patient, the other marine that had been wounded in the ambush. He was doing well, and was expected to make a full recovery, much to the relief of his young wife.

Daniel couldn't help but feel another pang of regret for his best friend.

* * *

That afternoon Anise/Freya and the other few Tok'ra that had ferried them here bid their farewells, and departed to bring their ships back to their own planet. They left one cargo ship and one Al'kesh in the care of their brothers and sisters from Earth, in case of emergencies. They had cut a large cavern that opened to the outside enough for the two ships to be flown in and landed, but the top of the cavern jutted out farther than the bottom of the opening, leaving the impression from the air looking like it was nothing but a hill. Camouflage tarps could be hung over the entrance again after landed for further protection.

The planet was similar to Earth, and the tunnels had been grown just at the edge of a wooded area, next to the ruins of a long-since abandoned village that seemed to be the only sign that intelligent life had ever inhabited the planet. One of the ring transporter exits from the compound came up inside one of the few buildings that still had a roof and seemed relatively intact.

Most of the buildings were something that looked like a cross between adobe and simple mud brick; it wasn't exactly the same as anything on Earth, as far as Daniel could tell. As 'the generals'--Jack, Hank, and George--and a few of the others brought the rest of the people up in small groups to see their new home planet, Daniel, and what of the archaeology department was here did a preliminary overview of the site. Once he could actually get to work, get _digging_, this would be archaeology at it's purest. He was more than thankful for something to do, even if it was only a simple village. In his profession, even the simplest things could provide wondrous insight.

He only wished he wasn't limited by the leg wound.

He didn't pay much attention to the gaping families that came up from the compound until Sam brought Simon up with one of them. Sam spotted him, and guided her enraptured husband over.

"This is fascinating," he muttered, running a hand over one of the crumbled walls.

Daniel glanced up and gave a small smile. "_This_ is why I went into Archaeology."

"And Anthropology, and Linguistics," Sam ticked off.

"Well, that too..."

The most recent group retreated to the rings again, and disappeared into the compound below. Vala, who had been with them, remained, and wandered over to the rest of them. "Hi," she sighed, slumping onto a fallen stone beside her husband.

"Had enough fun playing Tour Guide Barbie?"

She frowned in confusion. "What? Oh, never mind. Yes, I'm done, if that's what you mean. What are you doing?"

"We're looking the site over, planning the dig. It'll have to be a little unconventional; we can't even block it off. A lot of flags and string everywhere would kind of be a giveaway that someone was here, if anyone came through the 'gate."

"Good point. What about you, Sam?"

Sam shook her head. "Trying to decide if I should put this one on a leash," she said, reaching out suddenly to grab Simon's sleeve and keep him from running into a wall as he was looking up at different wall. He snapped out of it.

"I'm sorry…" he said, embarrassed. "I've never been on another planet before." He shook his head. "That sounds so cliché, and yet it's entirely true."

It wasn't clear which of them was going to reply to that, and they would never find out. It was at that moment that an ominous clanking sounded from the direction of the stargate, all-too-familiar to most of those still on the surface.

"Crap," Daniel hissed, straightening as much as he could. They had mere seconds, as the 'gate finished dialing. They had no idea who it was.

He lunged forward a couple of large steps, made longer with the use of the crutches. "Everybody back! Behind the walls; inside the buildings if you can!" he shouted in warning. There might have been a few too far from the 'gate it hear it's own warning.

"Daniel!" Vala cried. She, Sam, and Simon were still behind the wall where they had been talking; she tried to come out to pull him back in.

"Stay there!" he hissed. He hobbled forward and dropped behind the next closest cover, leaning on the old structure as much as he dared and pulling out the zat from his leg holster.

The stargate burst open, and from where he was he could see Simon's eyes widen, and Vala looking toward him worriedly. He was worried about whether something coming through could see the others, when Sam pulled both Vala and Simon back further, even out of _his_ sight.

Daniel whipped back around to glance through a small hole, hoping to be able to see what was coming through without exposing himself. He didn't know what he expected--Peacekeepers, jaffa, Morale Monitors…but not what he saw. What he was this: Bra'tac, Ka'lel, and a half-dozen other battered jaffa believers toppled and/or stumbled through the event horizon, and then the 'gate snapped neatly off again.


	60. Adaptions

Well, I'm back from camp and finally had the time to actually write another chapter...Packing up an entire house can take up time, lol. Oi. Anyway, I hope ya'll are still out there. Here's the next chapter! :) Thanks!

Chapter 60

Daniel pulled himself to his feet as quickly as he was able. "Come on!" he shouted back to his people, galvanizing them into movement. For a long moment they had only been staring in shock, which wasn't helping their injured friends any.

Even though he was up first, because of the crutches he didn't get there before Sam did. Simon hung back out of uncertainty, and Vala paused at his side to assure herself that he was all right. He urged both of them on ahead, and arrived beside the 'gate just after they did, as the other members of his department were rushing from their hiding places to help. Daniel stopped a couple of them in their tracks with a call and sent them back down to the compound to get medical help.

Turning back around, he counted eleven jaffa in all—Bra'tac, Ka'lel, and nine others that he may or may not have seen before. Sam was on her knees beside Bra'tac, who looked a little the worse for wear, but all right. Vala was helping Ka'lel sit up; she seemed to have a couple of smaller injuries.

"Are you all right?" Sam was asking, looking between the two of them.

"I will survive," Ka'lel sighed.

Bra'tac shook his head. "I am fine, but we lost many. Even a few of those that made it here may require serious medical attention."

"What happened?" Daniel questioned.

"We thought that our escape route and our planned time to leave Dakara had not been discovered. We were wrong."

Ka'lel grimaced and nodded, clutching at a burn on her arm. "The ships we commandeered the night we left were sighted and shot down almost immediately. Only one got through, though we do not know what happened to it. We are the only survivors of the crashed ships. There were more, but they were killed as we escaped through the stargate."

"Oh no…" Vala muttered.

"Does the jaffa safe house or colony you were going to not have a stargate?" Sam asked, probably wondering why they had come here, of all places.

"It does," Bra'tac told him. "But most of our camps have extremely limited medical supplies, if really any at all, besides stocks of Tritonin. We do not wish to be a burden, but I did not know if a few of those here would survive without better assistance. I did not believe we had another choice."

Daniel shook his head. "No, you could never be a burden. I hope we can help…" he trailed, looking worriedly over Bra'tac's weary troops. Three or four didn't look like they would make it much longer, without a miracle. To his pride, the other members of the archaeology department of the SGC were already there, putting what first aid training they had to use while they awaited Doctor Lam and a team of real medics.

"You're always welcome here. We'll do everything we can."

* * *

Despite the efforts of the medical staff in the compound--which now also included a few doctors, nurses, and medical students that were family of SGC personnel—two more of the jaffa believers died, leaving only nine morose visitors.

The memorial service the next day included remembrance of all of the jaffa that had died in their friends' escape. After that, Bra'tac and the others remained for several days, waiting for those still injured to recover before they went on their way to their own new home. The whole situation left the entire compound quiet, despite the bustling around as they continued to unpack things and turn the tunnels into something of a home.

Decisions of leaderships had still not been made. The only position that had been locked so far was that Simon was to remain in place as spiritual leadership. It took much longer for Daniel to be sure of the answer God was giving him on the question of the position _he_ was being offered.

* * *

Daniel had noticed that 'the generals' had taken to gathering in the morning for coffee—or whatever it was they had managed to bring with them that was passing as coffee—in a corner of the room in the compound being used as a mess hall. Than he had He decided that this was where he would approach them.

He had prayed more in the past couple of days then he had in a while.

He'd asked Vala if she wanted to come with him, but she'd insisted that it was something he should do on his own, given him an encouraging grin, and sent him on his way telling him she would be in the infirmary helping any way she could.

This morning Bra'tac was at the table with the men he was looking for. The former jaffa first prime had been more than delighted to discover that 'Hammond of Texas' was among them, and was a believer. It had always been interesting how easily the two had taken to each other.

It was Bra'tac who noticed him first.

"Daniel, good morning. It is good to see you. Did you sleep well?"

He almost laughed. "I wish," he said as Jack, George, and Hanks all turned to look at him. "What about you?"

"I cannot say much different; the time on Dakara is far offset from this planet."

Landry shrugged. "It's a little different from Earth, too. I think we've all been a little tired lately."

Jack sighed, and George added, "Though I don't think it's just the time change."

"Yeah…" Jack motioned for him to, so Daniel pulled up a chair and sat down with them.

"So what is this about not sleeping well?" Jack asked.

"Ah, well it's not that I didn't sleep _well_, it's that I didn't sleep _much_."

"I sense this is leading somewhere," he prodded. It came in what was close enough to his old snarky tone to make Daniel feel relieved for the first time in a while.

He nodded. "Yes. It is." He paused for a long moment, sending up one final prayer to be sure he was doing the right thing. He felt only peace. "I'll do it."

"Ah-ha!" Jack grinned. "The man does have common sense. What'd I tell you guys? I knew it."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Hey, this isn't just your doing, you know."

"Of course not. It was God's idea. He just let me and the guys here be the ones to make sure you did it."

"Uh-huh."

Hank stepped in quickly. "Regardless of what this one says, we know you're the right man for the job, is what he means."

"We're sure you'll do a great job," George encouraged.

Bra'tac had been nodding. "I am in agreement with them, Daniel. I believe you to be a man worthy of this task—well chosen by the one who never makes mistakes."

Daniel felt himself getting pink. "Well, I—I mean—uh, thanks guys…I hope I don't screw it up."

Jack shrugged. "Well hey, wasn't it the lion in Lewis's series that said that it means you are ready because you don't think you are?"

He blinked a few times. "That's _C.S._ Lewis in the allegory The Chronicles of Narnia, and the lion was a parallel figure of Jesus named Aslan, but yes."

"Okay, half those words I didn't get, but you're probably right."

George and Hank snickered, and Bra'tac just looked confused.

"Tau'ri literature," Daniel explained.

"Ah, I see. You speak of a story with a character that represents Jesus the Christ. If I had the time to read, I would ask for a copy of this 'allegory,' but I suppose that even if I had the time, you would not have a copy of this manuscript."

"There are seven of them in a series, actually, but no, I don't think we would. I read them as a child, but never owned a copy. And by the time what they really stood for meant anything to me, they weren't sold anymore—for obvious reasons."

The conversation followed similar tangents for a while, before they got back to the original subject at hand—Daniel's agreement to lead the people here. All of the older men were enthusiastic about telling everyone at once as soon as possible. Daniel, even though he knew he was doing the right thing, wondered what exactly he was getting himself into.

* * *

In the end, Daniel realized that he should have listened more to his Creator and not worried about it so much. Yes, he was the leader now, per se, but it was more like being the head of a small committee. Those who had been believers the longest and/or held positions of leadership back at the SGC were part of the power structure as well.

It was always a loose structure; most of them were brothers and sisters in Christ, and the point was not for anyone to be superior to anyone else. But everyone had to know who to listen to if anything happened, or who to go to if something went wrong.

And someone had to make decisions.

Jack, Hank, Carolyn, and Sam retained pretty much their positions from before, minus any military titles. Other titles like 'doctor' or 'pastor,' for Simon—that would have been prevalent anywhere—remained, but no one was in the military anymore. Jack and Hank were in charge of defense and strategy, instead.

The committee contained eight in all—Daniel, Jack, Hank, Carolyn, Sam, and Simon, as well as Reynolds and Siler as the other two earliest believers from the SGC. It turned out to be an efficient system, and there wasn't much change in the way they worked with each other. It helped that the rest of the believers in the compound supported them completely.

Daniel found the first few weeks most challenging, settling into a routine. The few family members who for some reason were not yet believers did not suffer from the boils, because they had not taken Carpathia's mark either, yet it was obvious that the Spirit was making them miserable. The Lord wanted them for His kingdom.

Not much happened at first. They didn't even have to duck from GC patrols, though they heard stories of the necessity from others camps and safe houses whenever they were visited, or small teams ventured out for trading and supplies. They trading to make sure that they always had plenty of food stores in case of a crisis.

SG-1 was still intact; the fact that three of the four of them had responsibilities on the board—the noun they settled on—didn't stop them from going out as a team. It was part of what Daniel loved about his new job. (Jack, who still had bad memories of the Tok'ra despite how they were now, refused to allow it to be called a council, but it didn't really matter anyway.)

Bra'tac and company soon moved on their way, and the first three months off-world passed quickly, and uneventfully for their new little planet. Carpathia continued to wreak havoc anywhere and everywhere he could while searching for them and any other believers or those that were not loyal to him, but no new judgments rained down from the heavens.

Jack himself slowly returned almost to normal, with help from his friends in fighting his pain. But then again, none of them would ever really be 'normal' again. Not now that they lived for the Lord.

* * *

Jack smiled down at little Re'sha, who was peeking out from between her parents' robes while she hid from this strange old man. He was happy to meet the girl, finally, and wasn't in the least miffed by her reaction to him. He had the perfect way to fix that, anyway. First he had to get his _own_ kid out of hiding…

He threw Daniel, Skaara, and Ashada a glare as he tried to pull Gavin out from behind his legs. Normally he wasn't like this, but apparently the strange way these people were dressed was frightening him a little. He'd been this way with the Tok'ra at first, too. And that was without the voices.

Finally Daniel saw fit to stop laughing about it and help pull him around to see Re'sha, who had been scooped up by Ashada and plopped down again in front of him.

"There ya go," Jack joked. "See? What'd I tell ya? She's not so scary. She's your cousin, Re'sha."

Skaara hunched down next to his daughter. "And Re'sha, this is Gavin. He is family. Do you want to say something?"

The little girl smiled tentatively and held up a small hand to wave. "Hi." It was hard to believe she was already almost two. Or that Gavin was almost four.

He waved back, even thought the two were no more than a foot or so apart. "Hi, Re'sha." He paused. "Wanna play?" Re'sha nodded eagerly, and the two started running around one of the common areas in the tunnels of the previously ascended and their families. Another childhood friendship made in less than ten seconds.

"She's cute," Jack complimented his friend and his wife. He actually grinned for the first time since…

It disappeared, but he realized that it didn't hurt as much anymore. But it didn't alarm him; he knew that in these times, he had to move on, and wait and hope for the day when he would see _everyone_ again.

"O'Neill? What is wrong?" He heard Skaara ask this at the same moment he felt Daniel's hand on his shoulder, and sighed a little.

"Yeah…you see, when we were escaping Earth…Sara didn't make it," he said quietly. "I'm just starting to get used to it, if that's even really the right way to say it."

Skaara's face fell. "Oh…O'Neill, I am so sorry. I did not know."

"It's okay." He smiled a little. "You're not omniscient anymore."

"We were never—"

"I believe that was meant as a joke, Skaara," Ashada pointed out.

He blinked. "Was it?" Jack nodded. "I see. I suppose you will be all right then, hmm, O'Neill?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah," he said, knowing that it really was true now. "I'll be okay. I've still that little bundle of energy over there"

"And us," Daniel smiled. "You're still stuck with us."

"Very true. I'll have to think about whether or not that's a good thing."

"Ha ha."

* * *

After visiting with Skaara and Ashada a while longer, Daniel wondered off and left Jack with them to watch the kids. He looked for Morgan next, and it didn't take long to find her in her room, reading a Bible.

"Daniel. I had heard that a few of you were coming today. It is good to see you. But where is Vala?"

"She stayed home; she was a little under the weather. It's a little damp in those tunnels sometimes, I guess. She'll be fine."

Morgan stood from her desk to give him a brief embrace. "That is good to hear. How long has it been since we have seen any of you?"

"Too long," he sighed. "I miss Earth, but I'm glad of the little bit of freedom to move we have now. Even if we have to be careful, it's a lot more than we had on Earth with Carpathia's lackeys watching the 'gate all the time.

"I suppose so. I hear much has happened since we last saw each other." She motioned to a bench and he sat on it, while she took the edge of her bed.

"Oh yeah…Earth is so different. It would take too long to tell you everything. We saw so many amazing things during the midpoint of the Tribulation. So much happened; so much prophecy came true. I don't understand how there can be anyone out there still undecided."

Morgan nodded sadly. "Yet there are so many. Someone must reach them. But there are not many of here, and we can only risk sending out so many at a time to find these people."

Daniel nodded eagerly. "I know. So far we've only been going out for trading and such; trying to establish ourselves, get some kind of structure working. But I think we're about as settled as we're going to get now. We're talking about arranging teams to send out, much like at the SGC. About the same size.

"But they _would_ have to be newly arranged. Most of the SG-teams from the SGC don't have all of their members here. If a team is represented out here at all, it's usually only one or two of them, except for SG-1 and one other, I think. It's kind of upsetting to think about, so I try not to…"

"It is not your fault."

"What? Oh…Yeah, I know."

Morgan looked at him searchingly. "Yet you still feel at least some responsibility—possibly because of your new position within the Tau'ri colony."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, somebody told you about that, did they?"

"Samantha was here a bit earlier."

"I see." He shrugged. "Well, I guess that could have something to do with it. I'm in the position I'm in because the believers from the SGC—and even some of their families that only knew from the Bible studies…They see me as a leader, as the one who started the movement at the SGC toward the truth, and the one who kept them going in learning about God. Sam, too, to some extent, because she was there with me, pretty much, but they think I started it. And I guess they're right, sort of. Sure, I did what I did, but only because that was His plan—to use me and Sam and a few of the others to get others around us thinking. I didn't really do any of it. God would have brought them all to him some other way if it hadn't been me."

Morgan smiled. "And that is why you should be the one leading them."

"What?"

"Because you understand that."

"I guess God knows what He's doing," Daniel smiled.

"Of course." He was silent for a long moment. "Is that not why you have guilt?"

He shook his head. "Not all of it, anyway. What I don't understand is why so many at the SGC wouldn't listen to the truth before we left…even though there were so many around them enthusiastic for God. If the believers from home say that's a big part of what convinced them…why wasn't it good enough for enough for so many of the rest of the people there?"

Morgan shook her head slowly. "We can't know that until we can ask God himself. Never will everyone accept the truth at once. It is not the nature of sinful mortal beings—or of sinful semi-immortal beings," she said, smirking.

He had to laugh. "You've got that right, anyway. Huh…I wonder what will happen to the rest of the ascended when the Tribulation is over."

"Those that have not accepted Christ will be condemned along with the mortals who have not. There is no other answer. I only wish they would speak to us; perhaps then more would understand, and that number of those still stubborn in the end would be smaller."

"I know what you mean."

* * *

It was late on their new planet when SG-1, minus Vala but plus Jack and Gavin, returned to the underground compound. They expected to find most asleep, but instead they found Simon and a few others waiting for them by the rings. They seemed restless, and worried…but about what?

"What's goin' on?" Jack asked immediately.

George approached and gently pulled Daniel away from the group, while Hank went to speak with the rest of them. He couldn't understand what was being said, but all the same he felt a sudden fear grip his chest.

"What is it?" He was being guided down the corridor and away, and he wanted to know why—or did he?

"You need to go to the infirmary, son," Hammond told him carefully. "Vala is there; she needs you."

Daniel jerked his arm away immediately, stopping in his tracks. "What! What happened? Is she all right??"

"As far as I've heard, she's going to be fine, but it's not my place to say anything more," he said sympathetically.

His mind was swimming. She'd felt a little strange this morning, but they'd both chalked it up to cabin fever and the conditions of the tunnels, maybe just a cold—or so he thought. What could have happened in the hours they were gone?

"I—Thanks…I mean…"

"Do you want me to walk with you?"

Daniel clenched his eyes shut and shook his head to snap out of it. "No…it's okay, I can get there. You're sure she'll be okay?"

"That's what the doctor said," George nodded. But the look in his eyes said that he knew what had happened. Daniel wondered if he wanted to know at all.

"Then I'll be fine. Thanks." Without another he swept past and headed quickly for the infirmary, not trusting himself to try to talk anymore or ask more questions. He didn't know what would happen if he tried. Instead, he just got there as quickly as he could.

Carolyn was waiting for him just inside the door, as if she'd know he would be coming soon. She accosted him as soon as he was in the door, and pulled him into her office.

"Wait—let me see her. Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. She's resting now."

"What happened?"

She sighed and leaned on the edge of the blue-gray crystal island that was her desk. "Sit down."

"Why?" he demanded.

"Daniel, please, just do it."

He blinked a few times, glanced around him and saw the stool by the desk. Slowly he sat down, looking at her warily. "Carolyn…?"

"I'm sorry." It was the first thing she said then. Explanations that started with that sentence usually weren't good. What was going on? Carolyn took a deep breath. "This may be hard to hear, because I know it's coming out of nowhere for you. It was for me, too. Unfortunately, that may have affected what happened, because I didn't know what wrong with her at first, but we did everything we could…" She trailed off, so much different from the by-the-book, no-nonsense, get-right-to-the-point woman she had been several years ago when she had first come to the SGC who had so often been mistaken for a cold heart.

But she wasn't, and she never had been.

"What happened?" he asked again, slowly, deliberately.

"She had a miscarriage, Daniel. I'm so sorry."


	61. Trust

Yay! Finally moved! Anyway, chapters should come quicker now, except for school...ugh. But it definately shouldnb't be 'this' long anymore. That was the whole moving thing, which was really annoying. Anyway, we're semi-settled now, and we still have a dsl connection, so I'm happy, LOL.

So yeah, here ya go with the next chapter. I just updated Ribbons Undone, too, and Lessons in Love will be next, as soon as possible. :) So enjoy! Let me know what you think. ;) Thanks!

Chapter 61

Daniel was glad Carolyn had made him sit down before this. "What?"

"She was only a few weeks along, and I'm not sure why it happened—these things aren't always explainable. It could have been a number of things, or a combination of causes: her age to a some degree, the naquida in her blood…even the fact that she gave birth to the closest thing to an Ori in human form."

He swallowed, trying to form a coherent thought through the confused roaring in his ears. "I…ah…" His eyes slipped shut. "Does this mean we can't…?"

He heard Carolyn sigh and sit on the other crystal stool on the patient side of the desk. "No. Not at all. She may be a little older than most women who would be trying for…Well, I say for the first time, even though it isn't really, because the first time was artificially induced. But what I mean is, she's certainly still young enough to be more than _capable_ of having children. That's not the problem. As far as I can tell, there isn't one. This happens; though I'm sorry I couldn't prevent it this time…"

He shook his head. "No…i-it's all right. I'm sure you did everything you could. I'm just trying to understand it all." He took a deep breath. "So…you're saying we could still have children, if we tried."

"Of course." She offered him a small encouraging smile. "Though we're all smart enough to know it's not really up to you."

Daniel nodded slowly. "I know…I know." Though he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that God had let this happen. He couldn't fathom the reason. But they couldn't always understand, could they?

Carolyn reached to place a hand on his arm. "I'm it'll happen if its meant to." She smiled again. "I don't see why it wouldn't. The two of you would make wonderful parents." She didn't give him a chance to say anything to that—not that he would have known _what_ to say. Instead, she stood and took a couple of steps toward the door.

"I should get back to my other patients, but you're welcome to sit here as long as you need to. Vala's not going anywhere by herself until morning. But if you want to bring her home yourself, you can, as long as she lets me take a look at her in the morning. She just needs rest."

Daniel glanced at her and nodded. "Thank you. For everything." Carolyn nodded silently and left him alone.

The silence of the office seemed to wrap around him when she was gone; even the sounds of the infirmary outside the coverless door opening couldn't seem to penetrate.

He'd thought he would feel more sorrow, if something like this happened. But right now it was only the shock, and the confusion. He glanced down and realized that he had been clenching his hands together too tightly. They were beginning to ache, and he slowly untangled them and flexed his fingers.

"God," he breathed quietly. "I don't understand…but I trust you. I think. Maybe I've been a little lacking in that lately." He rubbed at his newly healed leg. "Everything that happened during the midpoint of the Tribulation, and getting away from Earth…So much of it was bad. I think I've let that trust slip, and tried to run things here myself."

After the speedbumps in the beginning, after Sara's death, he had seen Jack grow stronger in character and in his relationship with the Lord through the trial. As ironic as it was, the roles from so long ago being reversed, his functionality within the colony had slowly developed into being something of Daniel's right-hand man. He almost did more than Daniel did, though that was only because he had a little more time, what with Daniel being busy administrating. It was surprising how much of that there was to do here.

But either way, he finally allowed himself to realize—painfully—that he hadn't been doing any of it as much with God as he should have. _I'm sorry, Lord…Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm not used to leaning on anyone else for my strength, but that's not an excuse. Please forgive me. I need your help for this._

Daniel stayed where he was for a while longer, allowing the Lord to help him gather strength to go into that room to Vala.

He found her curled up on her side, facing away from him as he came in. He took a deep breath and sat down lightly on the edge of the bed, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Vala flinched a little at first, but then glanced back to see that it was him. Daniel wasn't sure what he had expected her to do, but when she picked herself up and leaned back into his arms the most overpowering emotion was relief. He'd been worried that she might be too distant.

Daniel wrapped his arms around her and held on. "I love you," he said immediately.

Vala let out a sudden breath that shook a little, and scrubbed at her face a little. "I suppose Carolyn told you, then."

"Yes." He kissed the nearest part of her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't here…"

She shook her head weakly. "Don't apologize. You needed to see them."

"But you hadn't been feeling well; I should have just stayed—"

"It wouldn't have changed anything, Daniel," she interrupted softly.

He sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm still sorry."

Vala swallowed. "I should be the one apologizing."

Daniel pulled her a little closer. "Why in the world would you say that? You didn't do anything."

"It was our baby, Daniel," she choked. "And I lost it."

He had a pull in a deep breath before he could answer that one steadily. "I know that…but it wasn't you're fault. Did you even know you were—were pregnant?"

"I wasn't sure…I suspected, but I hadn't gone to Carolyn yet, which she must have told you. And it's slightly difficult to get a hold of things like pregnancy tests anywhere else. Quite convenient, those little things…But it doesn't matter now…"

Daniel gave her a squeeze. "Hey, if it happened once, it could happen again. If He wants it to happen, it will. We know that."

"I guess." She fell silent then, and twisted to rest with her face buried in his chest. He sat for a few moments and let her.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked quietly.

"Can I do that?" she asked, voice muffled by his shirt.

"Carolyn said she didn't mind, as long as you stayed in bed."

Vala nodded against him, and moved to drop her legs off of the side of the bed to get down from it. Daniel stood up more quickly and stopped her. Her mouth opened in surprise, but she didn't stop him when he scooped her up from the bed. She looked like she wanted to protest, but soon lost any interest in doing so. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let herself relax.

Daniel held her close, and brought her home.

* * *

Most mornings there was a chapel-type gathering held for everyone in the compound. There was usually a brief music led by the wife of one of the SGC believers; she had been a choir director on Earth. Sam and Erin Satterfield assisted with that endeavor. After that, Simon would give a short message or lesson, finish with prayer concerns, and hand it over to Daniel for any other announcements.

The next morning the people weren't kept quite as long, because the Jacksons were absent.

"Dr. Jackson and his wife would appreciate your prayers," Simon concluded solemnly. "It is an unspoken request, but we know that the Lord is aware of all, and any prayers at all for our leader and his spouse will be received and answered accordingly. I have been told to expect them to be here tomorrow morning, regardless. I'm sure we all hope that's true."

Sam had found the music hard to do that morning. She'd almost backed out from going up with Erin and Mrs.Walley, the choir director from Earth. When Simon came out of the gathering room, she quickly latched onto his arm and made sure he didn't linger too long before they headed back home—though it was a relative term now and only meant their quarters.

Simon didn't protest, and didn't say anything about it until they were finally away from anyone else and were walking that way.

"What's wrong, Sam?" he asked gently.

"It's just…there are things I can't stop thinking about since yesterday." Anyone who was close to Daniel and Vala had been told what really happened, but no one else was sure, if they even knew at all that Vala had been in the infirmary.

Simon clasped her hand. "I understand."

She shook her head. "No…that's just it. You don't. You can't…"

"Why not? Is it something else? What is it?"

They were rounding the corner near their quarters, and she waited until they were inside. "I feel like a horrible person," she moaned, dropping onto one of the stone stools.

"What?" Simon sat on the table next to her. "Why?"

Sam made a sweeping motion toward the door. "Daniel and Vala are in pain right now, and part of me can only worry about thins for myself. I-I feel terrible for them. It hurts me so much this had to happen to two of my best friends, and I'm concerned for them, but then there's that other part of me that's won't stop thinking selfishly, and I…I-I—"

"Samantha." She stopped, and looked at him. He only used her full name anymore when he was serious. "What is it that's bothering you? What are you worrying about that you think is selfish right now?"

She swallowed and stared down at her lap for a moment, twisting her hands in it. "Us," admitted. "I keep worrying if—if we'll ever…" She trailed off and scrubbed at her face. "I want a baby so badly; you have no idea"

"Oh, Sam…" He pulled her to him, and she went, sobbing a little.

"I want us to have a child, Simon. But I keep worrying that there won't be enough time, or something will happen to one of us, or that something will be wrong with me…"

Simon hugged her tightly. "But Doctor Lam already told you that you're perfectly healthy. You don't have to worry about that."

"But we've been married for to years…and nothing. And we don't have unlimited time in this world, especially now."

"I know, but sometimes it just takes a little longer. And then we have the whole Millennial Kingdom."

"But we don't know if we can have children then."

"Maybe not, but I do know it's dangerous now."

"So? And what about the other things?"

He sighed. "It's not up to me—"

Sam sat up suddenly, wiping her eyes. "That's the problem! Simon, I understand intellectually that it's all in God's control, and that I should trust him to do what's best for me in the end. The problem is that no matter how hard I try, or how much I _want_ to be able to, I can't make my heart accept it. Not completely. And then I wonder if there's something wrong with me spiritually."

She sobbed again, and broke into tears as she sank into his arms again. "What's wrong with me, Simon? I'm…I'm scared…"

"Nothing," he said quietly. "Nothing's wrong with you. You're just human like the rest of us. I can't say I haven't thought about things like this."

"What are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know that there's anything we _can _do but wait."

She gulped. "It's just so hard to do that."

"I know."

"Do you?" she asked softly.

"Well…in this situation, maybe not as much as I'd like to. But I understand what's its like to not know if you can really put all your trust in God—though of course before the rapture I didn't really understand Him in the first place. That might have made it worse; I didn't know what I was doing."

Sam sat up again, slowly, looking at him curiously. "What are you talking about?"

Simon sighed, and hesitated for a long moment. "Before the rapture, I couldn't be patient. I wanted to meet the right woman, settle down and have a family, and I wanted it all yesterday. If I'd heard that if I waited God would send the right girl into my life, but I couldn't wait like that. I tried too hard, and it hurt my social life."

She blinked a few times, hardly able to believe he could have been that way, as wonderful and considerate as he was now. "Really?"

"MmHmm," he nodded. "It wasn't until after the beginning of the Tribulation that I realized that I was getting nowhere. By then I also realized that it didn't matter so much anymore, with as little time as we had. And with everything that I knew was going to happen, I had no choice but to trust God. I finally gave everything to Him."

He smiled and nudged her chin up. "And that was when I found what I'd needed all along—you."

She pushed herself up off the stool, moved up to sit beside him on the table and kissed him. "I love you. I'm sorry I got so upset over this…"

"It's all right. I don't blame you." Simon pulled back a little to look her in the face. "And…I know it's not exactly normal right now, but if there are no objections from above, then if you want to try—really try—I'm with you."

Sam just grinned and kissed him again.

* * *

The cargo helicopter took off, blowing the trees around the clearing in spirals. The members of the cargo detail for that day each grabbed a crate or two a hurried the last of the shipment into the back cave entrance. The chopper quickly disappeared in the distance carrying its traded goods. They had to be so careful at all times, to avoid detection by the GC.

Jenny took one last look at the sky before the hole was covered again with foliage. She still couldn't rid her mind of the image of the strange purple flashes she had seen in the sky that day three months or so before, when Sam had told her to look back toward Colorado Springs. True to her words, they hadn't heard from any of them since. She wondered where they had gone.

"You all right?" Shane's arm around her shoulders snapped her out of her reverie, and Jenny set down the crate of foodstuffs in her arms and turned to him.

"Yeah. I'm fine; just thinking."

"About what?"

Jenny thought about that for a moment and then smiled mischievously. The others were heading back farther into the shelter, so they were virtually alone. "About the fact that I'm almost 18."

"Uh oh," he grinned. "Don't start that again. Where would I get a ring down here anyway?"

"You joker," she sighed, shaking her head and playfully shoving him out of her way. "Come on; let's get back."

Shane faked a salute. "Yes ma'am!"

* * *

Jack was more than glad when he ran into Daniel in the tunnels late that afternoon; he'd been debating all day whether or not to pay the Jacksons a visit.

"Hey…how's Vala doing?"

Daniel shrugged. "She's fine, physically. She's feeling better otherwise, too, but she's still kind of down, obviously. I was headed to food stores to see if there was any chocolate I could steal for her," he admitted with an embarrassed smile.

"Ah. I see. What about you? I haven't been able to talk to you since I found out…I've been a little worried."

"I'm fine," he answered, if a little too quickly. "Really, Jack, don't worry about either of us. We'll be fine."

"Okay," Jack relented—outwardly, anyway. "You guys still planning on keeping this in the inner circle?"

He nodded. "Yeah. There's no point in letting get out and having everyone else worry for us. If it happens again and she can sustain a pregnancy, then of course we'll let everyone know. They can be happy for us then. But we don't want to worry them now. Their prayers are enough, even if they don't know exactly what's going on—and we're grateful."

Jack nodded slowly in agreement. "I guess that makes sense." He gave him a clap on the back. "Just remember that you're stuck with us too. I'm always around, and so are Sam and the others."

Because that was what this whole adventure was about anyway—following God and being there for each other.

* * *

Six months later left them more than four years into the Tribulation, and nine months into the Great Tribulation. The time passed without too much incident. The members of the SGC colony passed their time spreading the Good News in any way they could. Small teams went undercover for brief periods of time, looking for other believers and networking with as many groups as possible. They were stronger with numbers. They could reach more that way.

SG-1 spearheaded many of these operations. With some basic defensive weapons training from Reynolds, Simon was even allowed to go with them at times. He was finally adjusting to the reality he'd been missing; the reality his wife had been living for fifteen years now. Most of the other families were adjusting well, too, and building new lives out here as believers, which was encouraging.

The compound was slowly but surely developing into one extended family. Everyone cared about everyone else, and helped where they could, which was all much more than they had ever had back at the SGC in the olds days. SG-teams had tended to stay tight, but except for the fact that they were doing something extraordinary, it had been just another military base.

They were all getting the sense that this was the way it was supposed to be. Those who had ever attended church in the past also knew that this was what they had all missed in being part of a real church family back on Earth before the rapture.

But there were still problems in the rest of the galaxy. The seas of every known world were still turned to blood, and as the months passed, Carpathia tightened his grip, enforcing the loyalty mark much more fiercely on planet after planet. Word from Earth suggested that there was no longer any tolerance. Indeed, even on the outer planets there were places where those without marks were shot on site, or dragged directly to the guillotines.

No more grace period. No more last-minute chances.

In conjunction with the Tok'ra and Jaffa believers, another operation of the SGC colony became assisting in the relocation and hiding of discovered believers before they were taken and killed. In the process, they looked for any opportunity to bring more souls into the fold.

They only wanted to do as much as they could before it became too difficult to do anything at all. Even then, they were all agreed that they planned to press on doing the Lord's work.

* * *

Vala crossed her arms and looked around as they walked toward the village from the landing fields. "I wonder how many planets like this we've been to in the last few the months," she mussed.

"More than we ever did in the same amount of time back when we worked from Stargate Command," Daniel commented. "Though I guess it's a good thing Sam was able to sneak out a virtual copy of the 'gate list from the SGC computers. It makes our jobs out here a little easier."

"Agreed," Vala nodded, and went ahead a little. Even as much as she'd changed in the past few years, she still seemed right at home in some of her old clothes, which she'd brought with her from Earth to use when mingling with the natives when out on planets like this. Most of them were low-tech towns, (except for the spaceships, stargates, and blasters) and trading and commerce hubs, or out of the way villages. All of it they were used to, in most cases, and they knew exactly how to dress no matter where they were going.

It was just Daniel and Vala here today, under cover doing some preliminary scouting of the area before they decided what type of action to take here. Were there unorganized, scattered believers? No believers at all? Was there a small hiding church? Was anyone here in danger from the GC? These were the question they sought to answer first about a new planet or area before they did anything.

They had taken a ship today. They often switched-up teams, and routes and means of travel, to throw off any suspicion. They kept their foreheads in plain sight also, for the very same purpose—and also to let any fellow believers know who they were--but kept their hands in gloves that covered at least the main parts of their hands. That they could do without suspicion, because it so often went with the style of clothing they were wearing.

Either way, they were glad that today they were on a planet that wasn't rumored to be too strictly enforced yet. They all knew that they would need to start wearing hats too, everywhere they went in public.

This village didn't seem much different from any others they had been in recently. It was only a small trading center, teeming with all the kinds of people they expected to find there—including several believers interspersed through the crowds.

Already excited, Daniel and Vala waited to see if these others would notice them first. But nothing happened. They wondered if no one saw their marks of the believer, or if perhaps their brothers and sisters were hesitant to approach them with so many GC Peacekeepers around keeping an eye on things.

They never had a chance to find out the answer.

They didn't know what was happening at first, but then slowly realized that the peacekeepers were closing in on the people in the market, herding them all toward the mark application center in the square. They were doing it slowly, and without any ruckus, or making any proclamations, keeping people from knowing what they were doing as long as possible. Was this the way Carpathia was dealing with things out here now?

"Uh oh…" Vala muttered.

"Ya think?"

Daniel tried to find a way to slip out and get back to the cargo ship and out of here, but there were too many GC. There was no way they wouldn't be noticed, and he had a feeling they'd be shot if they were caught trying to get away.

The Peacekeepers forced everyone into rough lines, and finally announced their intentions. Yes, any runners would be shot, and yes, this was a random mark check. Those who did have it would be given a chance to take it willingly, or be brought to the Loyalty Enforcement Facilitator. In other words, everyone would be forcibly checked for Carpathia's mark. If they didn't have it, they had to take it, or die by guillotine.

And Daniel and Vala were trapped in the not-quite-so-proverbial corral.


	62. Old 'Friends'

Here ya go! I hope you like this one. :) Can't wait to hear from ya'll. have a great day!

Chapter 62

Vala pressed back into Daniel's arms for a moment, before abruptly pulling away and spinning to face him in the line they were being forced to stand in.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?" he asked absentmindedly. He was still scanning the area, looking for a possible way out that wasn't suicide.

"There's, ah, probably something I should mention."

"Okay."

She put both hands on his chest firmly. "No, I mean look at me."

He blinked a couple of times and glanced down at her then. "Sorry…" he sighed. "What is it?" He saw the apprehension in her eyes, and heard it in her voice. She was right; if they couldn't get out of this, that would be it…"Are you ok?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine. I'm just pregnant."

Daniel almost choked in surprise. "What?"

"Well, I only found out for sure yesterday, and I was waiting for the right time, though I didn't want to wait too long, because of...Anyway, I was planning on telling you as soon we got back from this mission, probably, because you needed to know, but I didn't plan for anything like this, and I—"

"Don't say you're sorry," he interrupted her. "There's nothing to be sorry for; I understand, it's just…" He pulled her into his arms so she couldn't see the confliction on his face. "Vala, that's great, I just wish—"

"That it wasn't now," she whispered.

"We'll do something," he said immediately.

He heard her swallow hard. "I'm afraid of what will happen if we die," Vala admitted, clinging to him. "What about the baby?"

Daniel frowned. "Well…we know we'll all end up in the same place."

"I know, I know, but that's not what I mean," she said urgently. "I mean _how_ will we end up there? I doubt I would carry and give birth in heaven. From what I've heard it doesn't work that way. I don't think people grow up there, either. Will he just be here? An adult? I want to _raise_ our child, Daniel…"

"I don't know," he told her apologetically. "I don't know what will happen. I don't understand all of it. I don't know why we're here right now…"

It was then that the rough hands of one of the Peacekeepers pushed between them, pushing them apart. "Hey, you're holding up the line—here…." The male voice trailed off suddenly, and then came back as a quiet hiss. "Vala??"

Daniel got his head around to see Vala again, and take in the Peacekeeper.

But it wasn't any Peacekeeper.

Vala was staring in shock, and it was Daniel who had to reply, though he was every bit as surprised as she.

"Jacek?"

Immediately Vala's father pulled them both closer, and down a little so that their conversation could not be heard—or seen. "What are you two doing here?"

"My wife and I could ask the same thing," Daniel said pointedly, emphasizing the first part.

Jacek shook his head and looked at Vala. "You know, I already had it figured out last time. You could have just told me you were going to marry him."

"What?" she sputtered. "But then I wasn't—"

"Not the time," Daniel reminded her, and turned back to Jacek. "I'd love to know why you're out here working for the _GC_?"

"Ah, well, sort of yes, and sort of no, on that, anyway, but more on that later. You two weren't planning on taking the mark, were you?"

Vala snorted. "Not on your life."

"Good. Now let's get you out of here."

"How?

"Easy enough. Act guilty, and don't cooperate too easy."

"Wait—" Daniel began, but before they could ask him to clarify, he pushed them both away from him roughly and called out for backup. Vala immediately knew what to do. She adopted the demeanor of a captured criminal who knows they're had, but doesn't want to admit it. It wasn't like she didn't have enough practice.

He quickly followed suit, and both of them feigned a bit of a struggle while Jacek 'attempted' to keep hold of them before his backup arrived. "Tone it back a little, guys. I've got to be able to get both of you out of the square on my own. Believably. Just enough, okay?" Jacek whispered.

They did as he asked, but the other Peacekeepers were still needed to get them cuffed. Then Jacek took over.

"Sorry about the commotion, fellas, but these two are wanted for something else at the moment. They have high priority, so I've got to pull them out of the line for now. Could you guys cover for me?" There were affirmative murmurs, and then a question.

"I didn't see anything about them," one of the others mentioned.

Daniel held his breath, but Jacek talked his way out of it smoothly. "It's a pretty new bulletin; it likely you just haven't seen it yet." The other guy nodded out and moved away again, leaving Jacek free to nudge Daniel and Vala out of the crowds. They retreated into the first alley far enough away.

"Would you mind explaining what's going on here?" Vala demanded immediately. "How can you survive without a mark?"

"Well, technically, I don't," he said, holding up his hand.

Daniel gaped, suddenly more concerned for Vala than anything else; she gasped in horror, and he wrapped an arm tightly around her waist.

Jacek seemed a little taken aback by their response. "Whoa! Hey, it's not real," he said quietly. He picked at the edge of the tattoo, and it peeled up. "See? Fancy sticker. That's not a scar from chip insertion either. It's a precisely placed burn designed to look like one."

Daniel didn't know Vala had moved until she had already thrown herself at Jacek and Jacek and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank God! Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again; do you hear me!"

Considering the way they had parted last, that couldn't have been what Jacek was expecting, and it showed on his face. "W-what? Uhm, of course, sweetheart. I'm sorry. Ahm…what's going on?"

Vala let go quickly and all but jumped back a couple of steps. "I'm sorry…" she began, looking like she knew why he was so confused. "It's just that….you see, things are a lot different for me—us—" she motioned to herself and Daniel, " then they were…then. _We're_ different…It's hard to explain."

Jacek looked thoughtful for a moment, which was something they weren't used to. "Hmm…This has nothing to do with the fact that you're SG-1, and you would defy Carpathia anyway, because you would obviously see the fact that he's a scumbag. You have another reason, don't you?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. We do." There was no mark of the believer on Jacek's forehead, but it seemed like maybe he did know of what they believed. "We are followers of Jesus Christ now, actually. I know that sounds crazy, coming from people like us, but…we couldn't ignore the obvious truth."

"Huh. Judah-ites. Led by that religious guy on Earth. Not that he knows all of this is out here…."

"Actually, we call ourselves Christians. That's the right name for us, but we stopped bothering to correct most people a long time ago. The rest of the galaxy will call us whatever they want; but it doesn't change anything," Vala sighed. "And…I didn't mean to scare you, the way I reacted to your fake mark. It's just that…our beliefs make it clear that—"

"It's too late for anyone who accepts the mark of the beast."

Vala blinked. "Yes. But how…?"

Jacek grinned a little. "I have a lot of acquaintances, remember? You have to, in my business. I've heard all of this before. Besides the fact that Carpathia is a joke, why do you think I didn't take the mark? Even if it's not true, why take the risk."

Vala crossed her arms and shook her head at him. "Well, you have a penchant for making the wrong choices, but never let it be said I ever thought you didn't have a brain."

"Ahhh. Is that a compliment from you, sweetheart?"

"Don't push it. Just because I have to forgive you doesn't mean I wasn't angry when you tried to scam us and ditched last time you were on Earth."

Jacek shrugged. "I understand. And I must say that I'm impressed you outsmarted me. All right, maybe not so much. I knew you were smart."

"Uh huh."

"But I am sorry. I suppose that wasn't exactly the best thing I've ever decided to do. I shouldn't have done it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Who are and what have you done with Jacek MalDoran?"

Jacek smirked, "Oh, believe me, I'm still in here, Vala. I've just had a few persistent honest influences lately."

"Oh really?"

"Like who?" Daniel asked, unable to resist wondering if it was any of the groups of believers they knew.

"Well, it's definitely no-one _you_ know. Vala might, but that's a story for another day. You two need to get out of here."

"What?" Vala yelped. "No. Not without you. How are you living, anyway? You can't buy or sell anything legally if there's not actually a chip in your hand."

He shrugged. "There are others who live like I do. We have fake marks so they're not shot on site for not having one, avoid scanners, and then trade with each other for the supplies we need to stay alive. I just chose to work for the GC, too. It's a perfect cover. True, I can't do everything, since I'm not as young as I used to be."

Jacek scrubbed a hand through his hair, which was now mostly a decent salt-and-pepper pattern. "With all of the planets out here to cover with enforcement, they don't really turn down anyone for enlistment, though. And since I'm one of them, they never question my mark. I've been fine."

"But…but you can't live like that forever. They'll find you out eventually, and they'll kill you. Please, come with us. We have a safe place to live, for now, and—"

"I can't, sweetheart. I have responsibilities now."

Daniel smirked. "That's a new one."

Jacek scowled at him a little. "Hey, I'm still me, so watch it. And Vala, really. I've seen how you feel about me. You don't really want me around."

"Yes, I do, Jacek. Things are different now."

"And what responsibilities could you possibly have that would prevent you from coming with us," Daniel added. Maybe he hadn't liked the man so much before, but he was his father-in-law now. He wanted vala to have her father, if she could. And…there was the baby, apparently. He'd almost forgotten that part. He was going to have to get used to that idea. He was still in shock, really, but now was not the time for that.

"It's hard to explain."

Vala swallowed, and Daniel could see that she was struggling with what to feel. It didn't seem like she could settle on any one emotion, but it was clear that she was not going to give up on her father easily.

"Jacek, please. Don't be ridiculous. You know it's too dangerous to stay here. Yes, I am still a bit angry with you, but I don't want anything to happen to you, either."

He smiled a little at that. "Well, I guess we've both changed a little, if you'll actually say that. But I don't want to put you in danger, or anyone else at whatever safe place you're living. I could be followed or searched for if I went AWOL."

Daniel shrugged. "As if they're not already looking for us? It'll be fine."

Jacek hesitated. "No. I really shouldn't. And I should get back out there and back to work right now, before someone comes looking. I'm putting all of us in more danger just standing here." Vala stared at the ground, scowling in frustration, and he hugged her. She didn't return the embrace, but she didn't pull away. "It was good to see you, sweetheart. I hope we cross paths again. Nice to see you too, Daniel."

Daniel nodded, and reached to put an arm around Vala's shoulders as he walked away. He'd seen the tears in her eyes that she'd hidden from Jacek. She leaned into his side for a moment, not watching Jacek leave. Then abruptly she pulled away from him and straightened.

"Wait!...Dad. Wait, please."

That got his attention.

Jacek stopped suddenly and spun around. "What?"

Vala looked to be gulping back tears. "Please…you have to come. You have to stay alive. It's not for me."

Jacek came back to them slowly. "Vala…what do you mean?"

"I _mean_ that you're going to be a grandfather!"

He stared at her. "I am?"

"You will be. In about eight months."

Sudden shouts came from out in the square, and Jacek's radio buzzed with transmissions before going dead. "Oh that's not good…"

"What's wrong?" Daniel questioned.

"They cut me off. That means someone suspects something."

The pounding of running feet echoed in the alley, from just around the corner. "Time to go," Vala discerned immediately.

"I'll agree with that."

Daniel and Vala took off farther away from the center of town, Jacek right behind them. Vala pulled out her only weapon, and scowled at it as they ran.

"Remind me why we only carry zats, again?"

"Don't want to kill anybody if we can avoid it," Daniel shrugged.

"Of all the things to change," she growled. "If we're going to be attacked by GC, we could really _use_ a couple of P-90s."

"It's too hard to be careful with those."

"Maybe, but in an us-or-them situation, I'd much rather it be them."

"We would have looked too conspicuous carrying them, anyway."

"Fine! Why are we arguing about this while we're _running_?!"

"You started it!"

Jacek frowned. "Uhm…"

"Don't ask," they told him together.

They didn't really see the GC chasing them until they had reached the landing fields, and it was then that the Peacekeepers started to shoot at them. Daniel and Vala defended themselves with their zats, but all Jacek had was a larger semi-automatic weapon issued from Earth.

"There goes my promotion!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, as he returned fire with them. Vala just rolled her eyes.

They were close to the ship. "Are you coming?" Daniel shouted over the noise.

"Do I really have a choice!"

Vala slapped the controls beside the door. "Get in!" Jacek hurried into the cargo ship, and Vala followed close behind. Daniel laid down another spread of cover shots, jumped in last, and closed the door. When he turned around, Vala was already in the pilot seat powering up.

"Well, that went splendidly," she snorted.

"Don't get excited; it's not over yet," he muttered, sliding into the seat beside her. Jacek paced behind them, looking a little worried.

"I don't know how good the orbital defenses are here," mussed. "I haven't been stationed on this planet long. There might be a couple of ships in orbit."

Vala shrugged. "We'll deal with it," she said as the cargo ship lifted off the ground. "Cloaking…" A few more pings echoed off of the hull from gunshots, but then they were invisible, and heading up through the atmosphere. Vala kept going until they reached a safe enough distance to open a hyperspace window, and immediately the planet was far behind them.

"See? Piece of cake. Carpathia is only hurting his effectiveness by trying to take over the entire universe at once. It won't work forever."

Jack crossed his arms. "I agree, though according to what you guys think, it's because he'll be thwarted by God in a little less than three years, right?"

"Something like that," Daniel agreed. Huh. Maybe there was hope for Jacek, after all. He wasn't immediately dismissing anything.

"So uhm…where are we going?"

"What passes as home for now," Vala replied. "It's not much, but it's keeping us safe. If you don't mind that, anyway."

"No, that's fine, I guess, but, you see, remember when I mentioned those responsibilities…?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "What kind of trouble are you in now?"

Vala groaned and swiveled to face her father. "What did you do now, Jacek?"

He looked a little disappointed. "What happened to 'dad'?"

"Just tell us what you're talking about!"

"All right, all right! Well, it was about six months ago, just after I enlisted with the Peacekeepers. I ran across an old…acquaintance. She believed like you do, so obviously she wouldn't take the mark. We hadn't exactly been on the best terms the last time I'd seen them, but they were so different, because of their new beliefs. I can't say we got along perfectly, but I couldn't just refuse to help. I'm letting them stay in the little place I had before I enlisted. They're one of you guys, so I didn't think you'd mind if we swung by to get them…"

Vala didn't seem to know how to reply to that. "What? Oh…well..."

"Of course," Daniel answered for her.

"Great!" Jacek grinned.

* * *

Vala followed Jacek up the creaking wooden steps of the alley stairs to the back entrance of a second-story apartment. The village they were in now wasn't much different that the one on the planet they had come from, except that this one was much smaller, and had no stargate.

She glanced back to catch Daniel's eye behind her, and then turned to Jacek again. "So why all the secrecy. Why not tell us who it is?"

"Like I said, Daniel down there probably wouldn't know her—oops. Well, now you know that much, anyway."

Vala smirked. "Are you afraid to tell me? It can't be that bad. Beside, whoever she is, she's a believer now."

"Well…better safe than sorry. I didn't want to have my head ripped off, after all."

She looked back again, and Daniel's eyebrows had gone up in confusion. She didn't know any more than he did.

At the top of the stairs, Jacek unlocked the door, waved them in, then hurried in after them and shut the door again. He turned on a lamp in the front room, which wasn't much more than a small kitchen/dining area with a wooden table and gas stove. There was no one in the room which, through an open door, led to a hallway.

"I'm back," Jacek called. "Are you in here somewhere?" There was no answer, but a faint glow came from the hallway entrance. "She probably didn't hear me; come on." He led down the hall, and into a back bedroom, where a lamp sat on an old desk, and a woman about Jacek's age sat reading a Bible and scribbling in a journal. All they saw at first of her was the back of graying blond head, until she realized someone was watching. She turned, and they saw the mark of the believer on her forehead.

"Jacek!" she smiled brightly. "I was wondering when you would get a few days off again. It's been lonely around here. Oh…who are your friends?"

Vala gaped openly. "Adria?"


	63. Revelations

Sorry guys! We had 'two' hurricanes, and then there was getting caught up in school after we missed so many days...bleh. Anyway, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever posted on any story, so I hope you'll forgive me, lol. ;) And please do review, so I know ya'll are still there. Thanks so much to those of you that usually do! Anyway, have a great day! Thanks!

Chapter 63

The woman's eyes squinted just a little, in concentration. "Vala? Is that you?"

Jacek chuckled. "Well, that didn't take long. I didn't even have to introduce you again."

The woman Vala had identified as 'Adria'—presumably the stepmother she had mentioned once—seemed hesitant at first. She took a few steps forward but then stopped short. Daniel watched Vala's face carefully, but now she seemed only shocked. He put a hand around her upper arm to keep her anchored, just in case.

"Uhm, well, Adria, I suppose you remember each other. This is, ah, her husband, apparently—Daniel."

Daniel waved once, silently, and smiled a little to let her know he was friendly, though he wasn't sure what to do about the uncomfortable silence.

Adria came forward slowly. "Vala…I…well, honestly, I never expected to see you again. But…I'm glad now…I suppose you can see that I'm different now. I can see the marks on you and your husband, which makes me happier than I've been in a good while…and that you've found someone…" She stopped and flushed a little. "Oh, listen to me. I'm babbling. I'm sorry. I just…I don't know _what_ to say, but that I'm sorry…I'm _so_ sorry, about everything…"

Daniel wasn't sure what she meant, but Vala hadn't moved. Instead of shocked, she seemed stoic now, and stiff. Adria didn't seem to notice. When she was finished stammering out what she'd wanted to say, she closed the distance and embraced Vala uncertainly. Jacek watched hopefully. Daniel watched with concern.

"I really am sorry. I know you must not want to hear it, but we are sisters in the Lord now, I and I hope that—"

Vala finally reacted. She pulled away suddenly, backing out the door, shaking her head. Her face flickered with an intense mixture of confusion, shock, and anger.

Daniel started after her. "Vala…?"

"No!" she cried. She pointed at Adria furiously, and looked at Jacek. "How could you? What is she doing here? You know what she did! I never understood why you married her in the first place! What are you doing?" she shouted. "We can't bring _her_!"

Daniel caught her arm again and spoke close to her ear. "Vala, I know you have a difficult past, but she's a believer now; we can't just turn her away, and you shouldn't act like this. You know that," he said gently.

"I don't care!" she said, jerking away and glaring murderously at the other woman. Poor Adria stood stock still, face stricken. "I can't believe you," she growled at Jacek. Now tears were finding there way through the anger, and pooling in her eyes. She knew it, too. She was blinking at them furiously. Her chest started to heave, and Daniel knew he had to get her away from the others.

"Ahm, could you just, uhm, give us a few minutes?" he said quickly, holding up a finger at them. Adria didn't move, and Jacek barely nodded. "Don't go anywhere." Vala was about to either hyperventilate, or break down, and he didn't like the idea of either. He knew she would hate doing it in front of anyone else even more.

"Come on," he urged quietly, and it didn't take much to guide her out into the short hallway. The only other doors besides the open way back into the main room were the entrances to a washroom and another tiny bedroom, at the farthest end. He steered her into the other bedroom, and she was already trembling. Daniel shut the door and pulled her into his arms as she dissolved into tears.

"Why?" she cried into his shoulder. "Why did he have to do this to me?" She was so close to hysterics that Daniel started to worry.

"Shhh, shhh…" he whispered. "Vala, calm down. It's all right."

"No it's not," she sobbed.

He pulled his arms tighter around her. "I can't help you if you won't tell me."

"That _woman_…" she choked out vehemently.

"No, shh, don't tell me until you can calm down. I don't want you to hurt yourself. It'll be okay."

She pulled back a little and shook her head at him, and he gave her a firm look. Vala swallowed and sank to the floor, breath shaking as she tried to gain control of herself. Daniel came down on his knees with her.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

"She…she…you know what relationship she had with me."

He smiled a little, trying to bring her out of it. "Yea. Evil stepmother, right?"

Vala let out a breath that was almost a laugh, but then she scowled again. "Yes. But it wasn't funny."

He straightened his expression immediately. "Okay, not funny. Right."

Still gripping one of his forearms with the other hand, she patted his cheek appreciatively. "I knew you were smart."

"Vala, don't change the subject."

"Sorry…"

"What did she do?" he asked gently.

She shrugged helplessly. "It's not so much what she did as that she was there, and Mother wasn't. But she _was_ horrible. I was nothing more than an annoying piece of property to her that she had to take care of because she was married to my father."

Daniel scowled suddenly. "Did she—"

"No, she didn't hurt me," Vala said quietly. "She didn't hurt me physically, anyway. But she made me wish I were dead." Her eyes clouded again. "She'd known Jacek longer than Mother had. She had her eyes on him from the beginning. I'd always known it, but I'd been too young to really worry about it before Mother was gone." Her jaw set. "She moved in like vulture on a carcass. Jacek didn't want to have to stop his little 'business trips' for any length of time, so of course he married her. He needed a permanent baby-sitter."

Vala shook her head and clenched her eyes shut as if to clear a memory. "Daniel, I don't even know where my mother is."

He knew exactly what she meant, and that, of course, was the real heart of the problem.

He swallowed and pulled her close again. "I know. I know…" It was something they all had to deal with now, not knowing where others were now that had gone before them, before all of this.

Vala was calm again in a few moments, and she took a deep breath and sat up straight. "I'm sorry. This isn't like me."

Daniel smiled just a little and pushed her hair out of her face. "Hey. You're pregnant, remember? That's normal. You should know that; you're the one who's done it before."

She puffed out air and rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."

"All I'm saying is that you don't have to feel ridiculous for this. You're prone to mood swings right now—which explains the last couple of weeks, actually…"

She smacked his shoulder. "Oh come on. I haven't been _that_ bad."

"Well…" he trailed, smirking a little. She smacked him again, and he laughed. "Okay, okay, sorry. I'm trying to cheer you up."

"I know," she said, and kissed him briefly. "I can't say you've succeeded, but I do feel better. Thank you."

"That's what I'm here for."

Vala smiled a little and sat in his arms for a moment. He let her, for a few silent minutes. He could hear movement out in the apartment, and quiet voices. He couldn't make out the words, but he didn't want to. It didn't matter what they were saying.

"We have to go back out there," Daniel reminded her after another moment.

"I know," she sighed, and started to get up. He stood up with, but gently caught her arm again before she could reach for the doorknob.

"You're going to be nice, aren't you?"

She winced. "Do I have to answer that?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed. "All right, I won't be hateful, if that will make you feel better, but I don't have to talk to her yet, do I?"

Daniel gave her a good long look, and then relented. "All right. I guess not. Common courtesy will do for now. But you can't avoid her forever."

"I know…but I'm just not ready yet."

"Okay."

He let her out ahead of him, and they found Jacek and Adria waiting at the table in the main room. Both of them had packed a small bag of things—nothing big enough to raise suspicion, but enough to bring their most valuable possessions. When they came out Jacek moved into the bedroom they'd been in to grab a few more of his things.

Vala didn't really look at anyone, and threw her first question back toward Jacek in the bedroom. "Is there any danger on this planet?"

"Ah, not really. It's one of the few outer planets without too much of a GC presence. That's why we're here," he called back.

"Good. I'll go power up the ship and plot our course for home then. The rest of you can follow when you're ready," she said to anyone who would listen. Se glanced at Daniel, and he shrugged and nodded to show that it was all right with him. Actually, it might give him a chance to have a brief word with Jacek and Adria without her.

"Just be careful," he told her.

"Of course," she answered, and was gone before he could say anything else. Well, if that was the way she wanted to deal with this now, he couldn't object. She hadn't done anything spiteful—except for never once looking in Adria's direction.

Daniel sighed when she was gone. "I'm sorry about that," he said as Jacek came tentatively back into the room.

Adria shook her head from where she sat at the table. "You have nothing to apologize for, and neither does she, really," she sighed. "I don't know what she actually told you, but I was horrible to her when she was young. I suppose you know that I was her stepmother?"

"I had heard of you once before."

She nodded. "When I finally had Jacek for my own, I resented him for running off so often and leaving to care for a daughter that wasn't mine, and I took it out on her in spitefulness. And I know I didn't take care of her as well as I could have. If I had been a better stepmother, maybe she wouldn't have—" She broke off and swallowed, looking away.

"Been taken as a Goa'uld host for over a decade and later become an accomplished khan and thief?" He shrugged. We can't blame ourselves for what could have been; we can't change the past. I know it's a hugely over-used cliché, but that doesn't mean it isn't true."

Adria looked up at him with pained eyes. "I understand that. But still I feel terrible for how I treated her then. I was a self-centered, childish woman. I couldn't even keep my eyes off of my best friend's husband," she said quietly, shaking her head at herself.

Jacek sat down slowly. "But you're different now, Adria. That was all so long ago, and goodness knows Kelana never had a negative thought about you."

"Because I was just barely smart enough then—or stupid enough—to make sure she didn't know what I wanted," Adria huffed.

Daniel moved over to the table. "Kelana? That was Vala's mother's name?

"It certainly was," Jacek said. "And I never deserved her."

Adria sighed again. "I only wish I could apologize to her for everything. I suppose I'll know if I can, in a little less than three years."

Jacek shrugged. "Maybe. But I'm not committing to all of that stuff yet."

"Jacek MalDoran, after these past few years, what more proof do you need?"

"Calm down, woman. If you're right I've got two years and nine months to figure this out for myself a little better."

"We never know how much time we have anymore," Daniel objected. But it was obvious that they weren't getting any farther in that conversation today. "Okay. Let's get going then."

* * *

Vala sighed and dropped onto one of the stone stools around the table in their room. "Why did they have to get a room just down the corridor? And why did they have to get a room _together_?"

Daniel sat down beside her. "Well, it saves space, and it would be a little strange for them to room in the singles' quarters. Most of the people in there are half their age. I'm not 'condoning' it, but there are two beds in there." He shrugged. "What do you want me to do?"

"Make them move to a different corridor, at least," she groaned in annoyance.

"The room's already been grown."

"Make them trade with someone!"

He shook his head. "Vala, really."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just…confused. I haven't seen _either_ of them years, and then this…"

"I know, I know. It's a little fast."

She rolled her eyes. "You can say that again. Yesterday I didn't know what had happened to either of them and today they live down the hallway—just a bit overwhelming, if you ask me."

Daniel laughed and pulled her close. "You'll be okay."

She sighed and burrowed into his chest. "If you insist."

"I do, because you have another reason now."

Vala grinned a little and pressed a hand to her stomach. "You told me that would work out, too, and it seems it has. I suppose I don't have any reason to doubt you."

"That's right," he nodded, and kissed her. They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the corridor, and he stood. "You stay here and get some rest. I told Gavin I'd come play sometime today," he told her.

"I can't come too?" she pouted.

"You're more than welcome…" He trailed off when the footsteps stopped outside their door, and none other than Jacek looked in questioningly through the curtains that served as a door. "But I think you're about to be busy," Daniel finished. "I'll be back soon," he said, and made a move for the corridor.

Vala wasn't entirely pleased to see her father, and she stood and grabbed for Daniel as he moved away. "Wait, but—"

"Like I said, I won't be gone long."

And why did he have to always do things like this?

"But—"

"Bye!" A second later he was gone, and Jacek was inside.

"Ah, hi, sweetheart…"

She sat down again. "What is it, Jacek?"

"Oh, uhm, nothing in particular. I just wanted to make sure you were all right, I guess. I mean, well, that was kind of a scare, back there, and in your condition, I uh—"

"Jacek, I'm only a few weeks pregnant; it's going to take a lot more than running from the GC for a few minutes to hurt me."

"Right, right. Sorry. Of course you're fine…"

Vala looked up at him, finally. "Why are you really here?"

He hesitated, and then slowly sat down across the table from her. "I wanted to know how you felt about all this—Adria and I."

"That depends. Did you just use your names together for a reason?"

"Well…"

When he trailed off uncertainly, she gaped. "You can't be serious. You know—"

"How she _used_ to be," Jacek interrupted her. "But she's different now. _I'm_ different now. The first time, it was nothing more than the fact that she was available and willing to marry me, and I did it so you would be taken care of, and I could run off and do whatever I wanted. I will defend the fact that I did want you to have someone to look after you. I _did_ care. But I was still stupid."

Vala stared. "W-what?" Confessions were not something she was used to hearing. This was more than she'd expected even after seeing him for the first time the day before. How much had he really changed?

"I'm not saying either of us is perfect, but Adria's not who she used to be. And I think…that I might really be falling in love with her."

For a moment her throat wouldn't move, and then she swallowed in a gulp of air. "Well you wouldn't be the first to remarry an estranged ex-wife since the rapture."

"The…? Oh. Right. Well…Listen, Vala, I don't mean to bring this all on you so fast, but you had to know…"

"I understand," she said quickly. No she didn't, really. She didn't understand how Jacek could love Adria. She didn't understand how both of them could be so different already. But maybe that was too harsh. "I…I'm not angry at you," she said slowly. It was the truth, and she knew he would want to hear that. "I can't say the same for Adria yet, but I'm sure you can understand why."

He nodded and reached across the stone surface between them to place a hand on top of hers. "How you've treated us so far is already a lot more than I could have asked for. I just hope that you can really accept her, at some point in time—and accept _us_. But I won't push you," he said, and gave her hand a pat before letting go of it. "And you know where to find me."

Vala nodded silently, and Jacek stood to take his leave.

* * *

The next three months brought a few new developments from the GC, but no new judgments reared their ugly heads. The seas remained the red of blood. It became harder to move around freely outside the safe 'houses' because of increased Peacekeeper patrols comprised both of people from Earth and from the outer planets, as well as jaffa. Men and women from the other planets seemed even more eager to serve than those back on Earth, and the jaffa were more than enthusiastic—in their own way, of course. Most of them had been right behind Carpathia from the beginning. They were slower to accept him as a god, but no less happy to serve him.

Carpathia, meanwhile, had upped the ante in yet another way.

He had been recruiting some of his most extremely loyal followers, having Leon empower them with the dark talents he had already given the right-hand man, and sent them out to be miracle-workers. False saviors for his cause. Most were on Earth, so they had heard, but they too were spreading from planet to planet, drawing people to believing in Carpathia, and taking his mark. The grace period was long gone on Earth, but not out here. People were flocking by ship and stargate to mark application sites.

And the Tribulation Force SG-1 was doing everything they could to convince them that they shouldn't.

But they had to be careful. At any point they could be betrayed and turned in as anti-Carpathians. That was why only their most trusted friends knew the location of their safe haven.

Soon enough word spread from Earth of a televised debate between Fortunato and Tsion Ben-Judah. It was also to be broadcasted by all major forms of communication channels in the galaxy. Rumor said it was even being beamed to Pegasus. The talked buzzed for weeks as SG-1 and the other teams from the SGC settlement went about their business from planet to planet. Loyalists anticipated 'Most High Revered' Fortunato to put the rabbi in his place.

The believers hoped the opposite.

* * *

The day of the debate came, and friends came to share the excitement. Skaara and Ashada brought Re'sha, and came with Morgan, Kasuf, and a few of the other previous ascended—most of them Abydonian. Bra'tac and Ka'lel came with some of the other jaffa believers from their small hidden settlement, and brought extra Goa'uld communication balls to spread through the Earth settlers' compound, so that everyone had somewhere to be able to see the action.

The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation of just how Ben-Judah might show up Fortunato this time. It was encouraging to know that the whole galaxy would be watching, hearing anything that might bring more people to God. Tsion didn't know that himself, of course, but it was one of the first things they would tell him when they got back to Earth at the end of this time of Tribulation.

While most of the settlement was gathered in the main room with two of the larger balls, some of the extras were set up in the larger dorms. SG-1 and their close friends had claimed Carolyn's room and the infirmary, and brought one of the large viewing balls with them. There were no patients at the time, and it was the only place in the compound where they could all be in the same place to visit and catch up, but without anyone to bother them. It was far enough away from the other main rooms. The original purpose was to keep the noise down for the patients, but for today it gave them just enough isolation.

Except for Carpathia's false prophets, there had been no new trouble from the GC recently, and everyone could almost relax today. Gavin, Re'sha, and the other small children ran from room to room, playing, there was more than one new child being cooed over, and at four months herself, Vala was among those showing off their baby bumps.

She couldn't help marveling over that little part of the vast scenery here today. Years ago…maybe she'd wished for it, flippantly, but she'd never really pictured herself carrying Daniel's baby—not willingly on his part, anyway. But that was how she 'had' been. Vala was different now, and she was glad of it, especially when it came to where it had brought her.

"You ought to stop staring at yourself, or people will think you're vain," Daniel teased as he passed behind her.

"Oh please," she scoffed, resisting a grin. "I'm only looking at my belly, and that's hardly the prettiest part of me," she said, flipping her hair deliberately.

"To me it is." He smiled, came up beside her and wrapped his arms around her. He ran a hand gently over the decent, but small, bulge at her middle, and kissed her cheek.

Vala turned toward him, mouth quirking mischievously. "Are you sure?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, and his grin widened. "Well…"

They didn't quite get to the kissing part before a pillow flew across the room and smacked both of them in the side of the head.

"Get a room!" Sam called, and a wave of snickers could be heard around her.

Vala just shrugged. Jack was giving him that look. Sam was smirking, Simon and most of the others were simply amused, and Kasuf had a strangely satisfied look on his face. Daniel was about to give the lot of them a snarky reply that would make Jack O'Neill proud, but that was when the ball suddenly rose into the air from the infirmary bed it was sitting on, and snapped on of its own accord.

From the blue and red bars and scrolling announcements at the extremities of the image, it was obvious that it was an Earth television channel they were watching. Tsion Ben-Judah was on the screen, speaking to the hundreds of thousands in Petra. The debate didn't seem to have begun, but the rabbi was making an announcement in preparation.

"The broadcast had begun early," Bra'tac commented.

"Chang," Jack grinned, shaking his head. "That boy is fearless."

"He must be," Simon said in admiration. "I certainly would not want to risk angering the antichrist so much if I were so close to him. The boy's cover could be blown if he continues to do things of that proportion."

"That's Chang for you," Jack shrugged.

"I hope he can stay alive long enough to do more good. I wonder if he knows that sometimes it's more than Earth that benefits."

"Knowing him, he's already figured at least some of it out."

Most of them fell silent then, and listened to Tsion's pre-debate encouragement, and his plea for the believers there to pray for the proceedings. Vala wondered if the man knew that his petition was heard by possibly billions more than he expected.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kasuf inconspicuously move to Daniel's side. She tiled her head so that she could hear them without taking her eyes off of the ball completely. She wanted them to think she was only paying attention to it, after all.

"Is there something we need to speak about, good father?"

Vala caught a smile from the old Abydonian. "It please me that you still address me in that manner."

"You will always be part of my family," Daniel said quietly, grasping the old man's shoulder.

"I thank you. And…no, there is nothing we need to speak of at length. I merely wished to say again that I am gratified to see that you have found lasting happiness. It pleases me, and…it would please my daughter, bless her soul."

Sha're. Vala looked away from the men entirely, suddenly feeling like an intruder. It was easy, sometimes, to forget that Daniel had once loved another. As completely as he had finally given himself to her, she often forgot that a piece of his heart remained with his deceased first wife. She could blame either of the men, really, for thinking of her now. She and Daniel had never had this. They had never had the chance to have a child.

Tsion next warned against Carpathia's false prophets, and against their evil tricks of what seemed like magic, but did not come from any god. He got his point across, but it not much more before he was interrupted by the GC administrator of the debate, telling him that it would begin soon, and they were connecting to Fortunato, and to stand by.

(Any quotes from the broadcast from Earth are from "The Remnant," the tenth book in the Left behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins."

"Thank you ma'am," Tsion said. "But rather than stand by, as you flip your switches and do whatever it is you have to do to make this work, let me begin by saying that I do not recognize Mr. Fortunato as most high anything, let alone reverend or father."

"Duh," Carolyn snarked approvingly.

"Oh look, it's the most high puffiness himself," Jack snickered, drawing everyone's attention back to the screen. Leon Fortunato had appeared on half of it now, seated behind a pulpit, dressed in his now usual ridiculous regalia. He began with a plastic greeting, and then accused Tsion of beginning with a character attack. It seemed that this was going to be a long afternoon.

On the contrary, though, the debate did not any long than a half hour. It was Fortunato who pulled out, of course, after he had apparently figured out that he could say nothing in support of Carpathia that Ben-Judah could beat back in some way, no matter how much the 'most high reverend' denied what he said. Neither was there anything he could say against Christ or the Bible that Ben-Judah could not undermine and light as false. At one point Fortunato tried to give praise to his 'god,' and Tsion rebuked him smartly.

"I trust you will spare us the rest of the hymn written by and about the egomaniac who murders those who disagree with him. I raise up Jesus Christ, the Messiah, fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, the perfect lamb who was worthy to be slain for the sins of the whole world."

He went on to shortly give the basic story of Christ and salvation, and Fortunato tried to counter by stating that the god of the current world was right where they could see him. "The god of this world lives in a palace and provides good gifts to all those who worship."

Tsion challenged him to give the numbers of death by the guillotines, and to tell the truth about the thousands of ground troops and weapons that had been swallowed by the Earth outside of Petra in the GC's initial attack months before, and other thing that the GC had lied about. But Leon skirted around and avoided any question or challenge that they all knew he couldn't answer without making himself and Carpathia look bad—which was all of them. Instead he resorted to consistently failing attempts to attack the believers.

Everyone in the room cheered and applauded when Fortunato finally turned tail and ran.

* * *

Late that night, most of the visitors had cleared, and there was almost no one in the infirmary. The group had spread back out into the compound not long after the debate, and Sam was one of only a few who had wandered back to help Carolyn pick up the place. After all, the men had put all of the bed back where they belonged before they'd left in the first place, so there wasn't much else to do anyway.

She and Vala were the only two left with Carolyn, until Jennifer Hailey and Erin Satterfield trailed in looking for someone to talk to. The women were just the kind of company the two young roommates were looking for, and when Carolyn was satisfied that the infirmary was clean, the five of them settled down in her room to relax.

"What have you girls been doing?"

Hailey rolled her eyes. "Really, Sam. Maybe I was definitely still a kid when you met me, but I hardly fall into that category. I just turned thirty."

Sam grinned. "I remember the birthday. I didn't really remember that part."

"Because I didn't really announce that part."

"That birthday is coming up soon for me," Erin sighed.

Sam grimaced. "Gosh am I getting old."

"What are you coming up on?"

She shot a withering look at Vala, who had asked. "I plead the fifth."

Vala blinked. "What?"

"She won't say," Carolyn filled in.

"Ah, I see."

But Carolyn was the one who had been trying to smother a small smile since they had all come back here again.

"All right, then what is it with you?" Sam pressed teasingly.

"Oh, nothing."

"And I'm a monkey's cousin," Vala snorted.

"Uncle."

"Whatever. Don't change the subject."

Carolyn fell silent, and Sam eyed her for a moment. "You met someone today, didn't you?"

She blinked. "What? Who could I have met? I know everyone who lives here. I've treated all of them at one point or another."

"But some of our friends brought their newest friends from their own settlements with them. There were people we've never met all over this compound today."

Carolyn didn't say anything.

"Who is it?" Hailey asked eagerly.

She held out all of ten more seconds.

"All right, all right; it's one of the new jaffa believers Bra'tac and Ka'lel brought."

"Jaffa?" Sam asked in surprise.

"You do they have a life span that's like, three times longer than ours, right?" Erin asked.

"Yes, thank you for that bit of widely-known information. But he's almost twice my age in real years, so in jaffa terms, we're about the same age. Besides, if we're right we'll all live through the entire thousand years after this anyway, so why does it matter?" she asked defensively. "Not," she added quickly, "that by any means do I think right now that it would go that far. He's just a nice guy—jaffa—whatever, even though we did talk for hours on end before they left…" she trailed off and her eyes glazed over happily, and Sam chuckled.

"I did not say a word, dear."

Vala piped up. "But I will. For one thing, to say that you've got it bad already, for what little contact you've had with this jaffa. For another, I'll say that it's not a bad choice, really. They seem crusty and silent at first, jaffa, but they're really quite deep and involved. But that's not all I know. You see, Ketesh was known to, well, recreate, with her jaffa, and—" She stopped short when she seemed to finally realize that they were staring at her. "Sorry. Too much information."

"Uh huh," Sam smirked.

Carolyn sighed. "I'd really rather not talk about it any further than that right now. I don't know often we'll see them, or if anything will happen at all. I admit that it would be nice…" she said slowly. "But right now, we all need to focus on staying alive until the end of Tribulation, if we can, and reaching as many people as possible in that time. We all know that. Besides, I want to see the end." She smiled. "I want to see Jesus come back more than anything. I want to see my mother riding in on a white horse behind Him with the rest of the multitude He'll be bringing back with him—the people we lost in the rapture."

"I understand," Sam said quietly.

The women talked for a while longer before splitting up again for the night. Sam and Vala ended up walking back most of the way together; their rooms were near to each other.

"So how are you doing?" Sam asked, nodding toward her friend's bulging middle.

Vala shrugged, and wrapped her arms lightly around the area. "I'm all right. I haven't been too sick recently."

"I've heard the worst of that is in the first trimester."

"I'd still love to know why you Earth people have fancy names for everything, but I suppose that's roughly true. It was for me the first time, anyway…" She trailed off, face creasing in pain from the subject; she quickly changed it. "I've been more worried about you."

"What do you mean?" Sam said innocently. "I'm as healthy as a horse. Nothing new."

"That's what I mean," Vala said pointedly, giving her a look.

There was a long moment of silence, and then she gave a dismissive huff. "I'm fine, Vala."

She felt a hand on her arm. "Are you all right?"

Sam tried to brush it off, tried to move on and get away, just get to bed, but she couldn't resist the penetrating stare for long, even if she wasn't looking at it.

"I'm running out of time," she said finally, a little explosively. She toned it down quickly. "I mean, we are, me and Simon…" She trailed off, but Vala didn't say anything. She just waited to listen. "I'm not menopausal—not even really premenopausal yet, but at this age…it could be a matter of months. I—" She stopped suddenly, and her eyes slipped closed. "As SG-1, we had to race against time in so many instances…I'm so tired of it. I hate having to do it now."

She took a deep breath, and the hand on her arm squeezed sympathetically.

"I'm starting to….to trust more. Trust Him. But it's not an overnight process. I want so badly to at least say be able to say that I've surrendered this to God…I'm just not there yet." She opened her eyes, and she knew they were moist, so she smiled. "And just to make sure you don't wonder, the answer is no. I don't resent you at all. I happy for you and Daniel—honestly. I mean really; you're my best friend, and—"

She stopped when Vala hugged her tightly. "And that's why I'm always here."

Sam swallowed and returned the embrace.

* * *

Daniel looked when Vala came in. He saw Sam go past their room toward her own, and sensed something going on.

"Is she all right?" he asked.

"She will be."

He sighed, because he knew what it was. "Is there anything I can do?"

Vala shook her head and sat down across the table from him. "Not really, except be there as usual. Other than that, it's pretty much just a girl thing."

"Hmm…"

He didn't realize that she'd reached across the table until he felt her hands cover his. "Listen," she began slowly. "I know you're worried about her, but like I said to her too, _I'm_ concerned for _you_ at the moment.

"What? Why? I'm fine."

"That's what Sam said."

Daniel held the hands that had been set on top of his own. "What are you worried about?" he asked.

She hesitated, and he raised an encouraging eyebrow at her. "Well…I heard you and Kasuf talking earlier…"

"Vala..."

"You're in pain, Daniel."

He breathed out, and stood up, keeping hold of her hands, holding them close. She stood with him, and moved closed. He held her hands over his heart with one of his, and with the other he reached to stroke her cheek. "I have you now…and we have a child on the way. How could I be hurting?"

"Because you don't know where she is. You still have to worry about that, just like I worry about my mother, Sam about her parents. Everyone has someone they wonder about."

"Then why are you so worried specifically about me right now?"

Vala swallowed and glanced down at herself. "_Because_ of this baby. Because you have a lot more reason to be thinking about it right now than the rest of us. I've seen your face when Kasuf mentions her. I know it hurts you. I know it hurts him too." She smiled softly. "But I'm not married to him."

Daniel had to laugh a little at that. But she was right. The familiar pang knocked on his heart; the pang he had felt as recently as earlier today. He kissed Vala gently, pulled her to him.

"I don't like to see you in pain," she muttered over his shoulder.

"That's why you're here." He whispered.

"Really?" she sniffed. "Do you mean that?"

"Would I lie to you?"

She pool back and smiled at him a little. "No."

He kissed her cheek. "Good." He smiled. "So don't go worrying about me any more then anyone else, okay?"

Vala nodded, if somewhat reluctantly, and threw her arms around him again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They stood that what for what seemed like a long while. Daniel wasn't sure if either of them were even thinking about letting go when they were interrupted by a voice.

"She is not gone."

Both of them jump in surprise. Vala was looking wide-eyed over his shoulder, and he twisted around to see what she was looking at.

It was a young boy, head shaved and wearing maroon and orange robes. He was standing several feet away by the bed, looking in their direction intently. Daniel had to blink several times before he could accept what he was seeing. "Sh-Shifu?"

The young boy nodded shortly.

Vala crossed her arms. "Oh brilliant; now it's my turn not to know whatever in the world is going on. Okay Daniel, who have we run into now?"

"Sha're's child," he said incredulously.

"Excuse me?"

He ignored the question, more intent on finding out what was happening. He took a couple of tentative steps closer. "Shouldn't you be older by now?"

"I have been ascended. I am _still_ an ascended being. I have not aged. I could project an older image, but it would have served no purpose and you would not have recognized me."

"Oh…right. Of course." He shook his head quickly. "What am I saying. What are you _doing_ here?"

"I have become a believer as you are. There are more of us now, but after what happened to the last group of them in the war, we chose not make ourselves known. We are an underground."

"Then where is your mark?" Vala asked from just behind Daniel.

The boy cocked his head. "I have no physical body for such a thing to be displayed upon. In our realm, it is more an energy signature that we alone can see in each other. He closed his eyes briefly, and the mark of the believer appeared on his forehead. "However, I can see your marks. If it comforts you for me to project one on the forehead that you see, then I will do so."

Daniel cleared his throat. "Uhm, yeah, that's fine…" he trailed off. Shifu was already looking past him.

"Who is this?"

"My wife, Vala."

"She is with child."

"Yes…"

The boy smiled. "I believe that would make my mother happy, that you have found happiness."

"Okay, why does everyone keep telling me that over an over?"

"Because she loved you, and they know that," Vala said quietly, wrapping her arms around his left one. Daniel gripped one of her hands.

"Shifu, what do you mean? Why are you here?" he asked.

The young ascended being looked him squarely in the eyes then. "I have come because I am in need of your help. We must help her."

Daniel shook his head slowly. "I don't understand." But he had a sudden strange feeling, and as a result he felt himself tightening his grip on Vala's hand, and that she moved her other up to his shoulder. "What was it that you said when you first showed up? Who do we have to help?"

"My mother," Shifu said succinctly. "We must help her. My mother is not gone. She was never gone."


	64. What I Have to Do

See, what'd I tell you? Faster. LOL. Anyway, here ya go; hope you like it! Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I'd love it if more of you did, if you're even out there...lol.

Chapter 64

"Excuse me?" Vala sputtered, after a moment of stunned silence.

Daniel glanced at her before turning his attention back to Shifu, frowning deeply. "What are you talking about?" he asked slowly. "Sha're has been dead for twelve years."

The boy nodded. "Yes. She is dead. There was nothing false in what you saw. But I said that she was not gone, not that she was not dead."

"What's the difference?" Vala protested.

"She didn't ascend. We would have seen that. We buried her."

Shifu nodded in agreement. "That is true. But she is not gone, because I retrieved her. I have kept her safe."

Vala shook her head in confusion. "W-what? That's not possible."

"Vala…just let him talk," Daniel said gently. But in truth, he didn't understand this yet either. Vala closed her mouth, but she held onto his arm all the tighter.

"I am sorry that I did not tell you sooner, but you would not have understood before. I could not have previously risked revealing this to anyone—not even Oma Desala was aware of what I had done." He ducked his head. "Even she would have been displeased with me had she known."

Daniel took a deep breath and shook his head for some clarity. "Wait…you knew this when we saw you? You had her then?"

He nodded.

"Then…why did you want to know about her? And how could you have _done_ anything? You were a _baby_."

"My…parentage…gave me certain advantages, as did the fact that Oma was my protector. I could not travel with her regularly if I did not have qualities of the ascended. From the day I was left in her care, I had their basic powers. I was also much more mentally developed and self-aware when I was also much more mentally developed and self-aware when I was in their realm than I was in my young physical form. It is difficult to explain."

"Okay…but you didn't answer the first question."

"It is difficult—"

Daniel held up a hand. "Yea, I get that. Try. If my w—" He caught himself in time, wincing. "If Sha're is _somewhere_, I want to know where."

It hadn't been soon enough. He tried to give Vala an apologetic look, but she was already letting go of him. She turned away quickly and went back to the table, where she stopped and stood motionless.

He groaned to himself, but Shifu was already talking.

"What do you wish to know?"

Daniel sighed. "How can _I_ help with anything, and what do you need it for anyway? If she's dead, but not gone, and she didn't ascend, then where _is_ she?"

"I was young. I had a certain connection with my mother, even with my limited powers. I could sense what was happening to her, and I panicked. I managed to gather enough energy to keep her 'self' from passing on to the other side. At that time, I did not know what that side held for the deceased. I was afraid. I did not want to let her go."

He realized his eyes were wide, but he made not attempt to do anything about it. "Her soul," he said incredulously. "You trapped her soul."

"I believe that is its proper name, yes."

Daniel let out a gust of air and dropped onto the edge of the bed. "You know, five years ago I would have been horrified. But now…"

Shifu looked at him in understanding. "When you became a believer, you feared that when she had died she had not gone to Heaven."

"Yes…" His head fell into his hands, and he had to hold it up to keep from collapsing with relief. Sha're was safe. But…"Is she all right?" he asked suddenly, head popping back up.

The boy nodded. "For most of this time that has passed, she has not been aware. I did not have the power to create a safe place for her where she could…be, so I simply stored her consciousness safely between the realms of the mortal and ascended. That was all I could do for her. I have only recently had the power to awaken her. I have created a simple space for her, but she cannot stay there forever. That is why I require assistance."

Daniel frowned. "Wait, wait…if she's been unaware…are you saying that she doesn't know that twelve years have passed?"

"She did not when she regained her consciousness, but it was one of the first things I explained to her. The next thing I addressed was the truth of existence that has been revealed to me."

"Salvation. Christ," Daniel said quietly.

"Of course. I could not bear the thought now of anything happening to her before she accepted the truth. We know what would happen to her. Unfortunately, she does not yet believe."

"What?"

"That is another reason why I need your help. You are the only other I could know she would listen to."

Daniel swallowed. "Okay…so what's the situation? What else do we have to do?"

"She is danger. Now that she is aware, it is more likely that the Others will find her. She cannot take human form again, because she is not ascended, and she cannot ascend, because then they would be aware of her unauthorized presence immediately—and they would destroy both of us."

"Then—oh." She only had one other choice.

Shifu nodded. "She knows all of this. But she refused to make any decision before she could see you, if it was possible."

"I understand," he said quietly. "But…how would I get to her? I can't ascend again. There's no one experienced enough up there to help me, and I know the Others hate me enough now to make sure I couldn't do it on my own."

"This I know. That is why I have a plan of action that does not require ascension."

Daniel started to nod, slowly. "That would be good…"

"However, it does require you to…die. Temporarily."

"What?"

Vala's head popped up across the room, and she spun immediately. "What?" she echoed.

Shifu quickly started. "It would only be temporary, I assure both of you, and there would be no lasting effects—"

Daniel stood when Vala cut him off. "Wait a minute. I don't care how 'temporary' it is; you're still talking about killing my _husband_."

"Vala…"

She didn't seem to hear him, and continued right on talking at the ascended boy. "Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm not very attracted to that idea. It sounds rather insane, to me, as a matter of fact. I suppose I don't mind this whole idea of him helping her, of course, but I'd rather it be done without _killing_ him."

"In theory, he would be safely returned to his body once—"

"In theory?! Oh, that makes it _so_ much better!"

Daniel grimaced and went to her. He took her arm gently. "Sweetheart, you're arguing with a thirteen-year-old boy," he whispered. Not that it would keep Shifu from hearing them.

"I don't care! I don't like this, Daniel!" The tears were welling already, and her breathing had sped up. "Everything is fine; it's great! We have a _baby_ on the way. We shouldn't have to worry about-about…" But she couldn't seem to find a way to define it. In just a few minutes their world had been turned upside-down, and with the mountain of extra hormones, she wasn't taking it very well. A few tears let loose, and a sob escaped her throat.

"I'm sorry…" she sobbed.

Daniel pulled her into his arms, and motioned over her shoulder to Shifu to give them a moment. The boy nodded, signaled back that he would return, and disappeared in the stereotypical flash of white light.

Vala held onto him tightly for a long moment, but she calmed down again before she really began to cry, and she quickly dried her face of what tears were there. "I'm sorry," she said again. "I just—"

"I know," he sighed. "_I'm_ sorry. I could have handled that better. I make you feel like you weren't part of the discussion."

"So?" she mumbled. "I wasn't. I shouldn't have butted in; this has nothing to do with me. I never even knew her."

"This has _everything_ to do with you," he said with conviction, and took her face in his hands. "You are my wife, and nothing is going to change that. I belong to _you_ now. You don't have to worry about that, understand?"

She swallowed and looked away. "You shouldn't have to tell me that…"

He turned her face back toward him. "Maybe not, but I want to. I know you would never say it, but everyone has doubts. I don't want you to have a reason to. You have to know that I love you, and that nothing is going to change where we stand with each other."

Her eyes brimmed with tears again, and she sniffed loudly. "Really?"

"I promise," he whispered.

Vala smiled shyly, and extracted her face from his hands. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I still don't like the sound of this idea of his."

Daniel winced. "Yeah, me either. But I might not have a choice. I can't just do nothing. But, we haven't even heard all of it yet. Maybe it's not as bad as it sounded. Besides…you heard him say that I would be fine."

She sighed. "I suppose we'll see."

* * *

When Shifu reappeared, Daniel had him hold his thought until they could gather their friends together to hear this out with them. Daniel and the boy explained what Shifu had already said, and then the boy explained his plan.

"As I have said, in order for Daniel to be in a position to help my mother, his body would need to cease function long enough for me to bring his consciousness to the mid-plane where she is. I would then quickly return here to inform you that you could revive the body. I have already assessed that you have just enough equipment in this facility to keep his body alive while he is absent, as well as the proper drugs that could be combined to…render it inactive in the beginning, yet leave room for being revived. It would cause no damage."

Jack's eyes narrowed. He tossed a glance at Daniel, and then looked to Carolyn. "Is that right, doc?"

She nodded. "He's right; I do have what we'd need to do what he's saying. I could keep a brain-dead patient alive for several days here, but unlike if we were at the SGC, there is that time limit of days. If we were on Earth, well, you know we can do things like that indefinitely. Anyway, bottom line: I could do it. That doesn't mean it doesn't come without its risks."

Shifu nodded gravely. "Of course, that is true, but I promise that I would do my best to eliminate as many of the risks as possible. And when we are done, I assure you that he would be safely returned to his body."

By now Jack was just shaking his head, Landry and Hammond had that grave general look, Reynolds didn't seem to know which way to sway, and Sam was giving a quiet running commentary to a thoroughly confused Simon through her own concerned expression.

"This is crazy; you know that, right?" Jack said finally.

Daniel nodded. "Yes. But you also know what else I'm going to say."

"I know," Jack shrugged. "You have to try. I'm not arguing with that." He gave him an encouraging smile. "Just tell her I said hi."

Sam spoke up next. "Well…if you're going to do this, we might want to go get Skaara and Kasuf. I don't know what they could do, but they might want to be here."

"I was just thinking that," Daniel agreed.

"I have already spoken with my grandfather and my uncle. They are aware of the situation, and they wish us well. They say that they believe that they should remain where they are so that they can pray for her, uninterrupted. They know that there is nothing they could do from here."

Daniel cleared his throat. "Oh."

"I am sorry. I should have mentioned it sooner. I simply did not want to waste any time. It is, as I said, limited."

"Carolyn?" Daniel asked.

"I'll do it," she said reluctantly. "I don't like it, but I'll do it. I wouldn't even say that if I didn't think it could work."

"Thanks for the clarification. Okay…" Daniel turned to his wife, and she felt him squeeze her hand that was already in his. "I guess that makes this up to you."

Vala swallowed hard. "I won't stop you," she said finally. "She needs your help."

The fine line Carolyn's lips had pressed into unlocked. "All right…I'll prepare what we need," she said shortly, and broke off from the group to do it.

The others dispersed slowly, seeming unsure about all of this. Sam came up and hugged Daniel tightly. "I won't complain, as long as you're careful to come back safely," she told him. He just nodded. Vala didn't budge from his side, but as soon as it seemed appropriate, she pulled him back to their quarters.

"Is something wrong?" he asked with concern.

She scowled at him. "Of course something's wrong. You're going to do this."

Daniel blinked a couple of times. "You didn't say anything else back there…"

"I wasn't going to; not in front of them."

He took a deep breath. "Vala…"

She shook her head quickly, putting a hand on his chest to quiet him. "No, no just listen to me. It is not that I don't want you to help Sha're. I am not jealous. I trust you. It's just that I can't accept that this is really the only way to do it."

He grimaced. "I understand that part. Don't think I haven't had my doubts about this, too. But it would take time to find another way around the Others—the other ascended. You wouldn't understand unless you've had to deal with them yourself…But there _is_ no time. We have to do this now, or they could find her." He brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry."

Vala swallowed back the lump in her throat, and gulped in air to keep it there. "Well…like I said, I won't stop. I know you have to help her." She couldn't look at him. "But I won't watch you die."

"I…wouldn't ask you to do that," he said gradually. "But…"

Daniel stopped there, pulling his hand back. He didn't have to say what he thought next for her to know. _But I would feel better if you were with me._

Vala knew that. But she couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't do that."

She caught a flash of movement from the door, and they both looked just in time to see Jack there. "Uhm, Carolyn's ready…she and Shifu are waiting…" When he saw them, he cleared his throat. "But, uh, yeah, I'll just go wait there too." He was gone quickly.

Vala looked away. "I'll be here when you get back."

She heard his pained voice behind her. "Please…don't make me leave like this."

"Goodbye." She paused, hoping the crushing pain in her chest would go away and let her more. It didn't. "I love you…"

He whispered, "I love you too."

It sounded as if he was almost out the door before she couldn't help but stop him. "Daniel, wait!" she cried, spinning around.

He stopped just short of the corridor and turned, his eyes speaking for him. Vala swallowed a sob and ran to him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, with a fierceness that he returned. It was a long moment before they released one another, and by then here was nothing else that needed to be said. Daniel smiled just a little, kissed her forehead, and left silently.

Vala staggered back into the room and dropped onto a stool. She wrapped her arms around their child growing within her, and let the tears come.

* * *

Daniel came back to the infirmary alone, but it wasn't hard to guess why.

Jack came up beside him. "Are you guys okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," he sighed. "She just…"

"Yeah," Jack nodded. He squeezed his shoulder. "Are _you_ all right?"

"I'll be fine," he said. "Let's do this."

"Okay then."

Jack delivered him to Carolyn, and then dismissed himself. "I'll be here for you, Danny, I promise. You just do whatever the doc wants you to do first, and I'll be right back."

Not that there was much to do. There was no reason for Daniel change, because they didn't know how long he would be gone. Before Jack was out the door he saw his friend pull off his shoes and glasses, kick off his shoes, and sit down on the edge of the bed in his t-shirt and jeans.

He didn't wear fatigues all of the time anymore, and neither did the rest of them. People wore a conglomeration of whatever they had brought; fatigues, BDUs, and regular earth clothes. Though Carolyn kept that white jacket of hers on whenever she was working—which was most of the time, because she lived just off the infirmary anyway.

Jack took a deep breath to keep himself from freaking out about this whole thing, and made straight for where he knew he would find Vala. She was right where he expected, alone in her and Daniel's room, and standing next to the table though she was leaning on it heavily. She was also to compose herself after what seemed to have been quite a good cry.

"Hey hey hey, you okay?" he asked. When he was close enough he took her shoulders in his hands, and she responded immediately by wrapping her arms around him and burying her fact in his shirt. Jack winced and hugged her gently. "Hey…what's up?"

"Why can't there be another way for him to do this?" she muttered, letting go and swiping at her damp face.

He shrugged. "Don't ask me. I don't have a clue when it comes to all this 'other planes of existence' stuff. You know that." She didn't answer. "Are you okay?" he asked again.

She nodded absently. "I'll be fine."

"That's what he said."

"What?"

"Daniel. That's what he said just now, when I asked him the same question. But I don't believe either of you."

"Why?" she protested.

"Because I _know_ both of you. This bothers you, and it bothers him that it bothers you so much. He would feel a lot better if you supported him."

Vala threw up her arms. "I _do_! I just can't be in there. I wish he would understand that."

Jack nodded slowly. "He does…but you being upset still bothers him. He's just like that. He's hard to understand sometimes."

She shook her head and sighed. "No…no, he's not. I pretend I don't understand him when he does thing the opposite of the way I want, but really…" She swallowed, and her voice dropped in volume. "Really, I understand why he does what he does why he feels how he feels most of the time. It would upset me if he was upset about something I was doing."

"Okay, maybe I _don't_ have to explain anything to you. You're smarter than you act, you know—and more of us know it than you might think."

That managed to make a corner of her mouth quirk for a few fleeting seconds. "You're smarter than you look too, you know."

"Thanks—wait, _look_? No, never mind." Jack shook his head and sighed. "Listen…I know it seems like a lot to ask, and I don't want to make you feel bad or anything, because you're completely justified in your feelings here, but…but it would help him a lot. He would do it for you, and I know you know it." He didn't make her answer. Instead, he gave her an encouraging smile, and left quietly.

The rest was up to her.

* * *

Vala sat down again once Jack was gone, and she was there for several long minutes before she finally sighed and looked down at the bump of her belly. "Well," she said, putting both hands there. "Come on, you. You might as well learn what family's all about early on."

She still couldn't make herself hurry to the infirmary, and by the time she got there, Daniel was lying on the bed that was set up away from the others. He was hooked up to an IV and heart monitor that would be needed later, and Carolyn was just disposing of a used needle and syringe.

Jack noticed her first, of course, and made sure the others moved out of the way for her when she rushed to the bedside. She grabbed his hand tightly and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Daniel?"

He focused on her slowly. Surprise registered in his eyes, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. Vala swallowed and brush at his hair. "It's all right…I'm sorry; I'm here now."

Daniel managed to smile a little, and turned his face toward her hand.

"I love you," she whispered. "Come back soon."

She felt his hand squeeze hers just a bit, and his lips formed the words in return. Vala leaned down to kiss his forehead, and when she sat up again his eyes were closed.

Seconds later, his head nodded and the line on the monitor went flat and whined.


	65. Memories

Yikes! Sorry guys. In the last week I've had to take the PSAT, turn in a paper, and go to an honor choir thing an hour from my house every day for three days. Oi. Anyway, here ya go, and I hope you enjoy it! :) I can't wait to hear from ya'll! And please do review. It would really help me right now...

Chapter 65

Daniel was sure he actually felt his heart stop, but the blackness only lasted seconds before he sensed Shifu's presence. There was a flash of light, and then he was standing. He could feel warm sand through his socks. He glanced down at himself; he looked exactly as he had when he'd lost consciousness in the infirmary. "Huh…"

There was another flash, and he looked up. Shifu was beside him, and a familiar mud-brick house stood in front of them.

He gaped just a little. "This…"

"It was your home on Abydos, in the city of Nagada," the boy nodded. "It is the image she chose for this place when she first awoke. It gave her comfort."

"I haven't been here in fifteen years," he muttered. "I doubt if it's still standing—any of the city, for that matter."

Shifu took a breath—or simulated his image taking one. "It is not. It was destroyed with the pyramid when Anubis attacked the planet."

"Figures," Daniel sighed. He finally gave the boy a glance. "She's in there?"

"Yes. But I must go now; I must tell your friends that they can revive your body."

"That would probably be a good idea," he agreed.

Shifu disappeared, and he was left staring at the house that had once been his own—just before a head of dark hair ducked out the doorway.

* * *

Shifu had disappeared just as the line went flat, but he materialized again a moment later. "Now! Revive him!" Then he was gone again.

Vala jumped away from the bed, and Carolyn and her medical team swept in and went to work. Vala backed up between Sam and Jack, her arms folded tightly. _Please work, please work, please work…_her mind repeated again and again. She felt a heavy hand on one shoulder, and a light one on her other arm from the friends on either side of her. She took a moment to appreciate it—they had to be just as anxious.

She couldn't watch all of it; she hated those paddle things, the ones that were supposed to shock someone's heart into working. It had been disturbing enough the first time she'd seen it on Earth. This time it was her husband. Her arms moved down around her middle again, and she hoped that the baby couldn't hear the electrical discharges, or the shouted instructions between the medical team.

* * *

The dark head became a woman, and then the woman had stepped out and was standing just outside the doorway. She stared at him, wide-eyed, just for a moment, before she broke into a wide smile. "Dan'iel…"

Strangely enough, she was dressed similarly to him, but at the moment he didn't care that it was strange for her. "Sha're," he breathed. "I…for a while I almost didn't really believe I would see you."

She glanced around, and then back at him. "Well I am here." She paused, her eyes suddenly looked damp. "And now you are here."

He didn't know what to say to that, but then she must have noticed him looking at what she was wearing—what her image was wearing, anyway. None of this was actually physical. But even though he knew that, he couldn't help but notice that she looked even better in jeans than he would have thought before.

Sha're was blushing. "I…when I was in your mind, through the ribbon the device…I saw how women dress on your planet. I thought it would make you more comfortable…since so much time has passed for you."

"Oh…you didn't have to do that. I mean, that's fine. You look great. It just…threw me off a little. I mean, it in confused me. I'm sorry, it's just been so long, and I've missed you…" He felt his own face go red. But how was he supposed to tell her the rest?

"I have missed you as well—very much," Sha're swallowed, and her damp eyes swam.

That did it. Daniel was across the distance between them in seconds, and even as short a space as it was he thought it had taken even less time than it should have, until he realized that she had come at the same moment and met him in the middle. As he held onto her tightly he realized dimly that his chest ached faintly from the impact.

It didn't matter.

"I love you," she told him softly,

"I love you, too," he sobbed. And the tears weren't only because she was here, after so long. It was because he _knew_ that she loved him—but he was going to break her heart no matter how much he didn't want to.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the line jumped again, ever so slightly. Soon it was all up again, and pulsing steadily, telling Vala that Daniel was alive. He wasn't here, but he was alive, and he was coming back.

Carolyn breathed a sigh of relief and wandered back over to the others.

"So he'll be okay?" Jack asked first.

"He should be," she nodded. "For now. Like I said, he's only got about three days before we start running out of the power I need to run these machines to keep his body alive for him. But as long as he comes back before then, he should be fine."

"Thank you," Vala said quietly. When the nurses had cleared away, she went back to the bedside. She all but collapsed into a chair that sat there, and gripped her husband's hand again.

Sam was beside her a moment later, giving Daniel's shoulder a squeeze. "He'll make it," she said, and smiled encouragingly.

* * *

Daniel tried to hold onto Sha're until the tears were gone, so she wouldn't see them, but then she was pulling back, and she kissed him.

He let her, that once; he returned it. Then he had to pull away, and only their arms were touching, entwined. "I can't…" he trailed. He knew she wanted more, but he couldn't give it—now anymore. He wasn't ashamed of that, the reason why, but he hated the tears on his face that gave away his pained heart.

"Dan'iel? What do you mean? What is it?"

He took a deep breath, and quickly dried his face with one arm. "Sha're…you know it's been a long time for me. So many years. I never thought anything like this would happen, I…"

Sha're looked at him kindly. "Have you found someone else?"

He blinked at her for a moment, and then remembered that she had always red him like an open book. He sighed and answered quietly. "Her name is Vala. We've been married for a year or so…we have a kid on the way, too."

She smiled, but her head ducked, and he knew she was fighting tears.

"Sha're—"

"I am fine," she said quickly, and pulled her head up. "I have my son, and now you will have yours as well—or a daughter. I am happy that you have found happiness. That is all I wanted. When I asked Shifu to bring you here, I had no illusions of anything being as it was." Her hand came up to his cheek. "I only wanted to see you again."

"I had to see you, too." He smirked a little, trying to lighten the mood. "Vala wasn't too thrilled with the idea of how I got here, though."

"Yes, Shifu explained how it would have to work if you agreed—oh! Is everything all right with you there?"

There was a flash, and the boy was beside them. "They have revived his body, yes. It is sufficiently stabilized," he said, and then specifically to Daniel, "Remember—you have three days, at most. You can return to your body by calling me. I will bring you back." He nodded to both of them. "I will leave you now."

"Thank you." They echoed each other, and once Shifu was gone they both laughed. It faded away to an uncomfortable silence.

"So this is what it has come to—three days," she sighed.

"Hey, at least we won't have to sleep in this state."

"That is true," she chuckled. "Come. We have much to…'catch up' on, is it?"

* * *

Vala had been alone with Daniel for several minutes, when another flash told her that Shifu was beside her.

"Is everything all right?" she asked immediately, glancing at him.

He nodded. "Yes. That is why I returned. I assumed you would appreciate being apprised of that."

She nodded once in thanks, and then looked at him for a long moment. The irony wasn't lost on her, of the fact that both of Daniel's wives had given birth to children without him—and against their will. "You speak very well for someone your age."

"I have been among the ascended," he said, as if that explained everything. She supposed it did.

"You're only about twelve or so in Earth years; isn't that right?"

"It is. That is another reason I chose to appear in this form as before."

Vala swallowed. "You never really had a childhood either, did you?" When he didn't answer, she sighed. "Neither did…my daughter."

Shifu looked at her with truly sympathetic eyes. "We were watching, of course, through the Ori situation, so I was aware of the goings-on with them, and the Orici. I was among those that wished to assist at times, though we were constantly overruled. And…I wish that things could have gone differently between you and your daughter."

"So that maybe there wouldn't have been so much suffering before it was all over?"

"I watched her more closely than the Others did. She was much like me—created for an ulterior purpose, and engineered to grow quickly to fulfill it. Our mothers were used…and now I care because she was your daughter, and you are the wife of my father."

Vala blinked. "You—"

"Apophis merely provided the other half of my DNA. He is not my father."

She smiled wistfully. "Does Daniel know you feel that way?"

The boy's face fell a little. "I am not certain. I have told him directly…"

Vala started to reach for his hand, but then remembered that he wasn't physically there. "You should tell him. I'm sure that he would like to know."

Shifu gave her a bit of smile. "I must go. If I remain any longer, there is risk that the Others will find me."

"Of course."

"I will return when I know when Daniel will be coming back."

* * *

He'd thought she would want to avoid the subject, which he would have understood, but instead Sha're _wanted_ to hear about Vala.

"I must know if this woman is good enough for you," she teased, once they had caught up on other things. There was no way for him to tell her everything, especially when SG-1 had been through so much, but she had heard most of the basics—the enemies they had fought and defeated, and the friends and allies they had made. The news of Atlantis in Pegasus fascinated her, and ironically her memories from her time as a Goa'uld host were what helped her understand much of what he was talking about.

He didn't tell her how many times he had died, or been captured, or tortured, or injured…and she didn't tell him the gory details of her time with Amaunet. Their time was limited, and it was no time for that.

Sha're seemed satisfied with what Daniel told her of Vala, and even amused when she heard of her past, and how they had met.

"And our meeting was any less amusing?" he grinned.

"The night you did not know you married me," she chuckled. She almost fell back into the cushions that made up the sitting area in the Abydonian home for laughing. After a moment she composed herself. "I will never forget that night, Dan'iel."

He kissed her cheek. "Me either."

Sha're looked up at him, and with her fingers gently traced the side of his face, from his hairline with its much shorter hair, and past the glasses with much smaller lensses than the ones she had seen on the clumsy but brilliant young man she had met so long ago—even though it seemed like yesterday.

"You have changed much since then."

His eyes were still as bright and warm as she remembered, but they held a heaviness that was new to her, born of the many years of joy and pain that she had missed with him. He seemed to know what she was thinking, and those eyes lowered, as if almost ashamed of it. "I know," he whispered.

She brushed at one of his temples. "Do not worry so much about it. Those things will happen. Besides, if you worry more, you may give yourself more gray hair," she smiled.

Daniel opened his mouth to protest, but then just shook his head and grinned. "A few gray hairs, and everyone feels like they have to lord it over you."

"It was the same on Abydos," she said lightly. "I remember the year my father began to go gray. I was only a girl at the time."

"And now he's _losing_ his hair," Daniel chuckled.

They laughed about a few more things before he cleared his throat, deciding it was time to get to the heart of things.

"Sha're…"

"Dan'iel?"

He looked into her eyes. "You have to know that there's another reason I'm here."

Her mouth opened, and she looked away. "I know there is danger…"

"That's not what I mean."

She sighed. "Yes. I know. It is these new beliefs you have…Shifu has told me of them. He has explained much of it."

"Then…do you understand why we want you to believe this, too?"

She was still staring at the floor. "I do…but I do not know if I can do that."

Daniel bit back the panic before it could start. He had only just gotten here; there was no reason to be overly-concerned yet. "Is there something you don't understand?"

Sha're glanced at him and laughed lightly, trying to brush it off. "It is much to take in, Dan'iel."

He didn't let her off there. "And?"

Finally she turned to face him again. "It is not that it is not understandable. After so long under the rule of Ra, it sounds wonderful. I would like to think that there is a real God somewhere, who really does care for us…"

"Then what's wrong?"

"Dan'iel, I have already died. It seems from what I have heard that it would be too late for me."

Daniel sat up straighter. "If I believed that, I wouldn't have brought it up. You're not dead Sha're, not yet. You're body may be gone, but you're still here—not dead. Not yet. It's not too late."

"Can you know that?"

Daniel took her hands and held on as if for dear life—and that wasn't far from the truth. "I _know_ it can't be too late. I don't believe God would have given me a chance to see you again now if there wasn't a chance for you to believe in Him like I do. I think that's why I'm here—why _He_ wants me here."

"Dan'iel, it is such a large decision, what Shifu told me of…"

"I know…but once I realized it was the truth, it only took a couple of days for me. But then, I'd seen everything that happened on Earth when the Rapture hit…I guess he told you about that too?"

"Yes; he has told me what has happened in these past few years, since that event. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for you and your friends," she said quietly, and a sadness crept into her eyes. "There has been so much death."

Daniel swallowed and looked away for a moment. "That's true. We've lost so many in the last four and half years, and I miss them all." He smiled sadly. "But that's not all that's happened. I've seen so many things you wouldn't believe if I told you—amazing things. Besides, I know that I'll see those people again."

Sha're smiled and squeezed his hands. "I would like to believe that I would see you again after we leave this place."

"Me too," he said quietly. There was silence for a long moment. "What's holding you back?"

"I do not know," she said, and shook her head. "It is so much, and I have seen nothing. I am trapped here, and I cannot see the mortal world any longer. It is hard to reconcile such a thing."

"I can't imagine…Well, that's not quite true, but I don't guess you've had time to hear about _that_ yet."

She frowned. "What?"

"It's complicated."

"What is?"

He shrugged. "I'll tell you about it later, if we have time. But…I want to try something first." An idea was forming in his mind. Maybe it was a way to help Sha're understand what he had seen God do. Maybe God was giving him his answer. He wouldn't know until he tried.

Sha're was looking at him strangely now. "What is it?"

Daniel sat up on his knees. "I'm not sure. But I think I might be able to show you something. We're not exactly physical here, so maybe…"

She smirked a little. "What are you talking about, Dan'iel?"

He motioned her closer. "Just work with me here. Come on."

She eyed him and slid over in front of him, on her knees. Daniel took her face in his hands, and gently touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Like I said, I'm not sure; but if we're lucky, this'll help."

"Should I allow you to concentrate now?"

"That would be nice," he smiled, never opening his eyes. She fell silent, and wrapped her hands around his forearms. Daniel focused.

He focused on the moments from the last four and a half years that had left him in awe; the ones that would help Sha're see what he saw in God. At first it seemed as if nothing was happening. _God…if I'm on the right track here, let me know. Please let this work._

Sha're gasped softly. "Dan'iel…"

And then they were there. Daniel was remembering, and Sha're was seeing. Something told him it was true. He could feel it.

Together they were in his memories. They were trapped in the back of his car in the middle of the fire and hail storm. They were under his desk during the earthquake, and they were watching the unearthly horsemen swarming toward the SGC. She saw the miracles God had done for them all during this Tribulation, and those He had saved. She saw the sorrow, and those lost, and she saw the way God brought joy again, even after the pain. Many times they returned to the little church where Daniel well remembered beginning his new life as a believer.

He didn't know how long it was before his eyes snapped open, and he sat back on his heels, dazed and dizzy with joy that it had worked. He had shown her.

God had shown her.

Sha're had slipped off of her heels and was sitting on the floor, eyes wide and staring at nothing as she sorted through the images now in her mind. After a moment Daniel sat forward again.

"Sha're? Are you all right?"

She stood up slowly, silently, a hand pressed to her mouth.

"Sha're?"

She shook her head. "I am sorry. I…I need a moment." With that she turned and took long strides until she was out of the house, in the sand, and she was no longer visible in the doorway. Daniel stood, but he stayed in the house. If she needed privacy for a little while, he would give it to her. He hoped he hadn't overwhelmed her, but he knew she had to decide for herself how she would feel about he had shown her.

For that maybe she needed to be alone for a few minutes.

_Lord, I hope I did the right thing; but you helped me, right? That means it must have done some good, doesn't it?_

He stayed in the house, giving her space while he looked around again and soaked up the memories. There was the table low to the ground where they had shared meal after meal, talking and laughing and loving, and growing to know each other more deeply, and sitting area where they had done the same. There was the small kitchen where she had taught him to cook Abydonian foods, and the window where they had hung washed clothes to dry. Daniel stood in the middle of the main room, smiling wistfully.

The scream from out front brought him back to reality.

Daniel sprung into a run and all but fell out the door trying to get to her faster. "Sha're!" But there was no danger.

He stopped short. There was nothing out here but sand extending into the nothingness, and Sha're on her knees a few feet away. But she was obviously in some kind of distress. He hurried to her and dropped on one knees beside her. "Sha're? What is it? What's wrong?"

She was shaking. "Th-the Others," she gasped. "The ones Shifu told me of. They already know I am here—that _we_ are here. I can feel it." She looked up, her long hair falling over half of her face and only accentuating the fear in her eyes. "They are coming."


	66. Old Love, New Love

Here ya go! Hope ya'll are still around, lol. Enjoy!

Chapter 66

Daniel was gone through the night, and Vala fell asleep on the next bed; she refused to leave him, in case he woke up. Carolyn woke early, and they were both still out. The night duty nurse reported no abnormalities, and the readings from Daniel were stable—no higher brain function, because that was somewhere else, but he was stable. She expected the day to be slow, with nothing much to do but keep an eye on them.

She was straightening things in her office when she received an unexpected visitor.

"Do so few supplies always require such careful attentive arrangement?"

"What?" Carolyn spun around to find a tall young jaffa at her door, grinning out from under his floppy dishwater-blonde hair. It was hard to get used to that…jaffa not always having close-cut hair anymore. They had no supreme leader to answer to, and no reason to keep it that way.

Not that she didn't like the new style.

"Jar'en! What are you doing here?" she almost gasped.

His expression fell. "Are you not happy that I have come?"

"What? No. No, it's not that at all; I just didn't expect you to."

The jaffa took a step inside. "Why would I not wish to visit such a beautiful woman?"

Okay, _that_ was definitely something else she wasn't used to.

Carolyn let out a heavy breath, resisting the urge to laugh nervously. She could already feel her face heating up. "Okay…I guess I just didn't know you do that—just stop by for a visit, that is."

He shrugged. "It is true that we are encouraged to keep travel through the chappa'ai to a minimum, but we are not prevented from using it."

"Oh, well that's…that's great, but, ah—" She cleared her throat, "What exactly are you doing _here?_"

"As, I said, I am here to see you," Jar'en answered matter-of-factly. "I have...missed you since we spoke recently."

"Right…" She felt her heart flutter, but she didn't know what to do with that. "Yes, that was a lot of…fun. Yes. It was fun. I had fun. Really. I—" A laugh escaped before she could stop it. "Listen to me."

Jar'en blinked a few times in confusion, and then searched her face even as she tried to turn it away from him. "Have you…missed me as well?" he asked hopefully.

Carolyn couldn't keep herself from smiling a bit. "I guess I have."

* * *

If he'd had a heart that could beat on this plane, he was sure it would have stopped. Daniel swallowed, but his mouth was suddenly dry. "The Others? When? Do you know?"

Sha're shook her head. "I do not. I only feel the approaching presence." She started to scramble to her feet, pulling him up with her. "Dan'iel, we must go—!"

"Go _where_?!"

"That is of little consequence now." The voice was cold and malicious. Daniel and Sha're turned quickly, and saw that the Others were already there.

The house faded away, and the sand under their feet disappeared. They were left in the white nothingness, surrounded only by the closely-packed bodies of Others around them. Neither of them were ascended as well, so the beings appeared human for their minds. All of the Others were glaring angrily. Daniel didn't specifically remember any of them, but the feeling he got now as they were surrounded, he recognized without need to think about it. Instinctively his arm went around Sha're's waist, pulling her close to protect her if he could.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

The one that had spoken stepped forward, away from the rest. "How nice to see you in our realm again, Jackson—even if its only halfway."

"I'm sure I would return the sentiment if I remembered you."

"Ah, of course. The beauty of kicking you out; we get to swiss-cheese your brain," the man smirked.

Daniel's eyes narrowed. If the ascended being were even really speaking it words, it was being translated into language he could understand; no previous Ancient would speak that way, or use those expressions.

"Yeah…and your point is?"

"They want me to go, Dan'iel," Sha're said quietly.

The man crossed his arms. "See? The girl's smart. She should have been dead more than a decade ago, and we simply came to make sure that happens."

Daniel swallowed hard, and he could feel his hands trembling as he held his first wife even closer. Her hands gripped his arm as he responded. "Listen…we know that. We were planning on…complying. But please, we just need a little more time." Sha're wasn't a believer yet. He couldn't let her go before then.

"You are _out_ of time, She must go, now, and you must return to your body."

"Dan'iel, it is all right. I will go," she said, giving him a small smile.

"No!" he cried suddenly, panicked.

The man glared. "You do not have any other option. You will comply, or I will see to it all myself."

_God, please, please, no…Don't let it end like this. I want Sha're to spend eternity with the rest of us. It can't end like this…_

"B-but…just a few hours, then we'll both…go. I promise. Please…" Years ago, he would have rather died than beg anything of these ascended beings who had cause him and so many others so much trouble. Today, for this reason, he never gave it a second thought.

"You should at least remember that you cannot change my mind."

"But you can't do this!" Sha're was trying to squirm out of his grasp, and the ascended had clearly had enough.

"Oh, I cannot? Then watch me send her where she belongs myself!"

Daniel saw the beam coming at them and reacted all in what seemed to be the same moment, stepping in front of Sha're at the last second. Then there was the pain, and he couldn't see anything at first, and he was flung back into Sha're's arms. A pained scream came from somewhere, but he couldn't positively connect the sound with his throat. There was a higher-pitched cry that contained his name, and his eyes flickered open.

"Sha're! Are you—"

"I am fine." He realized he was on the ground, and she was leaning over him, eyes brimming with tears. The Others were moving in closer, but they hadn't made another move yet.

A tear fell onto his cheek from her eyes. "Why, Daniel? I am already dead. You have a family to return to," she sobbed.

He managed to get a hand up to her cheek to wipe the tears from her face. "Because I want you to be with me and the rest of us…for eternity."

The leader of the Others that had attacked called from where he stood. "It is your choice, Jackson. Let her go now, or you die with her."

Daniel surged up at the words, and fresh pain ripped through his chest. He glanced down just long enough to take in the charred chest of his jacket. Sha're tried to keep him down. "Dan'iel—"

"I have to protect you—"

"No," she said quickly. With her other hand she pushed her thick hair away from her forehead, and he almost sobbed when he saw the mark of the believer there. "You do not." She let her hair fall, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Do not do this for me. I will go, and you will return to your wife coming child."

Daniel swallowed. "While I was inside…"

She pulled back, and nodded once. She smiled, eyes still wet. "I love you, Dan'iel Jackson." His chest was injured, so she pressed a hand to his left shoulder. "Keep a place in your heart for me?"

His vision blurred with tears, and he silently cursed them and blinked them away. "Always. There's always been a place for you."

Her eyes grew brighter, and slowly Sha're stood to face the crowd. "I will leave. Dan'iel will return to his plane next, and then your rules will be satisfied."

The man in front nodded. "Get going then."

Daniel was holding himself up on his elbows, and he saw her turn to give him one last smile. "Goodbye, Dan'iel—just for now." And then suddenly her image wasn't as clear. Her smile froze in place, and her body was transparent. In moments she had faded away, gone of her own free will.

He couldn't hold himself up anymore; his arms slipped out from under him, and then he was on his back, staring up at nothing. _Shifu…where are you? How do I get out of here? I want to go home…_

And suddenly Sha're's son was beside him. "Yes, it would be wise for you to return now."

That was when the commotion started. There was a murmur among the gathered Others, and a general cry that echoed through the space around them. "It's the boy who did this!" they were all saying.

"Maybe we had both better get out of here," Daniel gasped. He was struggling to breath now, and part of him wondered if he would even survive going back.

Shifu placed a hand on his chest, and he could breathe. The pain was still there, but he could breathe. "I'm sorry; that is all I can do. The wound will transfer between realms in a way, but it will heal. You will be fine."

Daniel had been too far gone from the injury to catch the full extent of what was happening now, but he began to hear more of it. They were closing in—on Shifu.

"You have to go…"

"No. I must return you home."

"If you do that they may kick you out, now that they know what you did."

Shifu smiled knowingly. "No. They will destroy me. But I am not afraid."

Daniel still couldn't process everything, and he tried to understand that. "What…? No….no. You can't…" He felt Shifu's hand on his chest again, healing his wound just a bit farther as Sha're's son gave him the last of the extra power he had.

The boy smiled sadly. "I will be waiting with my mother. I will see you again. Goodbye for now—father."

"W-wait—!" he gasped. Then there was a flash of light from behind Shifu, and he was sure he was going to be hit again along with the boy. Something slammed into both of them, and there was another flash in front of his eyes, before everything went black…

* * *

Jar'en smiled at her answer, but before he could say anything there came a commotion from out in the infirmary. Carolyn shot past him at the sound of complaining equipment; a scream from Vala confirmed her fears.

"Carolyn! Something's wrong!"

Vaguely she heard Jar'en following her, but she was in doctor mode now. "What happened?" she demanded.

A tense Vala was on her feet beside Daniel's bed. "I was just waking up w-when he just, just jerked, violently. I don't know why, but now his readings are falling!"

Carolyn threw a glance at the monitor. There was still no higher brain function, but maybe his body was connected to the rest of him still in some way, wherever he was. It was the only explanation. There hadn't been a problem before.

But they could worry about that later. Right now, they were losing him.

The nurses on duty had already seen what was happening. Just as Carolyn was about to call for it, one of them pushed over their makeshift crash cart. It only had one of the smaller, less-powerful portable model defibrillators, but it was all they had been able to smuggle out of the SGC. At least they had one in the first place.

"Vala—" But the other women had already backed out of the way, face white.

"What's wrong with him? What's happening!"

"Sorry, but if I knew that I'd have said so by now." Then she turned her full attention to her staff. "Get that shirt off of him. I want to be ready if we have to defib." She gave an order for an injection that might stop what was happening to his vitals, but it did no good.

Daniel was shaking now, and there was still no explanation for any of this.

His heart rate was dangerously high, but it weak, and his other readings were barely existent. She tried a different drug, but it too had no effect. Daniel's heart rate dropped suddenly, and Carolyn knew they were in a race for time. She pulled the flimsy already-wired pads off of the portable defibrillator , and pressed them onto his exposed chest, afraid they would need them in a moment. She could hear Vala behind her, close to hyperventilation.

"Someone keep an eye on Mrs. Jackson, please!" she called, and one of the nurses broke off to comply. The last thing they needed now was for Vala to collapse on them and cause another emergency—especially in her condition.

That was when the line went flat.

The nurse that had been attempting to calm Vala down was pushed aside, and Daniel's wife rushed to his side, at his shoulder in the only place where she would be in the way of the medical team. "No!" she was shouting. "Do something!"

Carolyn called to the nurse at the defib controls to charge it.

"Clear!"

One shock did nothing. Vala was trembling, and Carolyn held her breath.

"Try it again, now!"

The second had no different effect.

Vala's arms were wrapped tightly around herself, and she was sobbing. "No, no, no…come back…"

They turned it up, but nothing happened on the third try, either.

"Come on, Daniel, come on!" Carolyn hissed through her teeth. She _knew_ this was a bad idea, right from the start. She never should have agreed, or he wouldn't be seconds away from being declared dead.

She had them try one last time, but it didn't work.

Carolyn swallowed. "I'm sorry…I have to call it."

"No! Vala shouted, and her hands moved quickly to the bump at her middle. "Try again!" she cried.

A gasp from the bed interrupted her answer, and shifted everyone's attention back to the patient. The monitors jumped into action, showing normal readings, and Daniel's eyes snapped open. "Sha're! Shifu!" Instinctively he tried to sit up, but instead he gasped and fell back again with a groan, as if in pain. His breath came in gulps.

But he was alive.

Carolyn pulled the pads off of his chest and exchanged shocked glances with her staff, and Vala dropped onto the edge of the bed incredulously. "Daniel!"

His eyes were distant, almost panicked. "Sha're…"

Vala clasped his face gently between her hands to make him focus on her. "Daniel's it's all right. You're back," she cried. "Look at me. You're all right."

"I…I-I…ahh…" Daniel let out a soft moan as slowly his breathing evened out, and he managed to focus on his wife. "V-Vala…"

She smiled in relief. "Right," she sighed. "I'm right here." She stroked his hair back and tenderly kissed his forehead, "What happened?" she asked softly.

Daniel was still trembling, so he had to calm down before he could really answer her. In the lull Carolyn waved off the nurses, carefully took out the IV and detached the monitor, and left the two alone.

* * *

It was several minutes before Daniel could answer her, but Vala didn't mind. He was safe; she could wait a little while for an answer. When he was calm, he clasped her hand that had been stroking at the side of his face, and his eyes closed.

"They're both gone," he said quietly.

"Who? Sha're and Shifu? You mentioned them when you woke up."

His eyes opened, and they were damp. "The Others found us. They forced Sha're to go, but then they attacked Shifu too, for helping us…" He tried to take a deep breath, but he quickly let it out again in a cry of pain. "Ah! Ah…ow…"

"What's wrong?" Vala asked quickly.

Daniel groaned. "One of the beams…from the Others. I was hit." His free hand ran tentatively over his chest, and raised an eyebrow when he realized his shirt wasn't in the way because it had been cut open. He glanced to the side and caught sight of the crash cart, but said nothing about it. "It only translated here internally…I guess…ah…"

She swallowed. "You'll be all right, won't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine," he grimaced. Then he smiled at her a little. "It's not that bad, really. It's just…like bad heartburn that won't go away, or something like that. Shifu said it would heal."

Vala sighed and leaned to kiss him once. "I'm sorry…about everything. I wish I could have helped."

"It's okay. At least they're both where they should be."

"Sha're became a believer in time?"

He nodded, and his eyes closed again. "Yeah."

"Daniel?"

He must have sensed her tone, because he gave her the answer she wanted. "I'm fine, Vala, just tired…" She could tell that he was keeping his breathing shallow on purpose, and she worried about the supposed injury.

"All right, get some sleep then. I'll be right here when you wake up, all right?"

Daniel nodded wearily, and drifted off in a matter of minutes.

* * *

Carolyn knew Jar'en had seen the whole thing from a distance, and she knew he was following her as she went back to office. What she didn't know was why. She dropped into a chair in front her desk; not behind it, because he was there. The jaffa was strangely silent as he entered the office again—thoughtful. She offered him the other seat beside her, and he slowly lowered himself onto it.

There was a long moment of silence before either of them said anything.

"You had mentioned that you were a doctor," he said slowly. "But I did not know that you were such a brilliant leader, such a fearless warrior."

She resisted the urge to snort. "What is that, some kind of jaffa pick-up line?" she smirked. Then she looked at him, and realized that he was completely serious. Her grin faded. "Oh…uh…sorry. Yeah, that's…it's just what I do."

"You save lives."

"Sometimes, yes. It comes with the territory. I hope that I can whenever it's needed. Though these days I know it's not really me doing the saving."

Jar'en smiled. "Yes, but the fact that our Lord uses people such as you to save the lives of others is just as wonderful."

"I _am_ more than thankful for that," she agreed, and smiled back. "I didn't exactly do anything back there though. I don't know _how_ he came back, but when it involves anything to do with ascendeds, you don't ask."

He looked at her for a long moment. "I still believe that you are an amazing woman."

Here it came again, that unfamiliar heat in her face. She had only felt it a few times her life. There were one or two boys back in high school and college that had done that to her, and then, though it was painful to think about because he had been gone for so long, there had been Cameron Mitchell. Never had the feeling led to anything with any of them. Maybe…maybe that wouldn't be the case this time.

"I…uhm…thanks" What else was she supposed to say to that? Then she realized that Jar'en was leaning just a little closer than he had been a moment ago, and that she didn't mind. Carolyn looked into his eyes and felt herself drawn closer, wondering absently if he was going to kiss her.

"Carolyn? Oh, I'm sorry—"

She jerked back and quickly stood; Vala was in the doorway, backing out again. "Oh! No, it's okay, Vala. What is it?"

"I'm not sure. Daniel says that some type of beam from one of the Others hit him while he was still on the other plane, and it must have translated. He's saying that he's fine and that Shifu told him it would heal, but he's in pain. I thought you should know. He's sleeping now though…"

Carolyn nodded quickly. "Of course. I'll look at him a soon as he's awake. He probably needs the rest for now."

Vala nodded in thanks, smiled at her, and quickly left. Carolyn sighed and turned back to Jar'en.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—I mean, not that I don't want…I just mean that I'm on duty now, so…"

The jaffa stood, nodding. "Of course. I understand. I am sorry; I should not have distracted you, I—" He stopped and thought for a moment. "When will you no longer be on duty?"

"Ahm, well, it's not as concrete a thing as it used to be back at Stargate Command, when I was being paid for shifts, but uh…I should stay here until this afternoon. I'll need to keep an eye on Daniel myself until at least then."

"Do you mind if I wait until then?"

"I uh…no. Not at all. I'm sure you can find something to do until then."

Jar'en grinned. "Excellent." He strode to the office doorway, then glanced back at her almost mischievously. "I will return."

"You do that," Carolyn smirked.

* * *

The large underground stream that ran through a cavern connected to the tunnels made for a perfect place for rest and relaxation in the otherwise cramped space the exiles from Earth occupied, besides being a convenient source of water. Jack found it to be a good place to bring Gavin to play; he could sit against the cavern wall and talk with friends or maybe even read a book, and the boy could play in the water.

He'd promised his son that they would go this morning, but then he had heard that Daniel was back already. Jack had taken his son's hand and hurried to the infirmary immediately, but when he got there Daniel was asleep, Vala had already left to tell everyone else that he was back and all right, and Carolyn told him the same.

"It seems there might be some kind of injury from the other plane, but it's nothing serious enough to affect his vital signs. I'm keeping an eye on him, and he'll get a good examination once he's awake, but he'll be fine, Jack. You two should go on."

So now they were on their way to the stream again.

Gavin walked beside him, carrying a small plastic shovel and pail. "We're almost there!" he said excitedly. The exit from the tunnels into the cavern was just ahead. "Can I run daddy?"

"Sure buddy, just be careful, and stay where I can see you."

"Okay!" The little boy took off, and Jack smiled as he watched him go. Except for the brown hair, he looked just like Sara. He was getting big, too; his third birthday had been a couple of months or so ago. It was hard to believe he would be six before he saw his mother again.

Jack tuned back into reality just as he stepped out into the cavern. Gavin was almost to the water, but even though the boy was already slowing Jack called out anyway when he saw what was there.

"Whoa, Gavin, stop!"

He took a few running steps to his son's side, frowning down at the water—or what had been water. It certainly wasn't water anymore.

The stream was full of blood.


	67. Wound

Okidoki, this one came together a little faster. Anyway, if you're out there and you like the chapter 'please' do review. This story has been going on a long time and its difficult not to get a little discouraged...Okay, I'm done being pathetic, lol. Show time! Angst warning...

Chapter 67

Gavin hadn't gone any closer to the red water, because his daddy had told him not to. Instead he sat on the ground between the cavern wall and the stream, shoveling gravel and sand with his toys. More and more people began to pour into the cave, gawking at the water as the news spread, and he could tell they were worried about something, but he ignored them. Daddy stayed in sight, so the boy was content to sit where he was.

After a while, he looked up to see a man in white clothes standing near the water, smiling at him. "Hello, Gavin," he said, and the boy could hear him as easily as if there were no one else in the cavern.

Gavin stood up, his pail still in one hand, and grinned. "Hey…I know you. You was in my daddy's truck when the big horsies came."

The man laughed a little and nodded. "Yes, that was me. My name is Michael."

Gavin waved from where he stood. "Are your friends comin' back today?"  
"No, Gavin, they aren't needed today."

"Oh…" The boy looked back at the adults talking among themselves—Daddy, Aunt Sam and Uncle Simon, their old guy friends…and a few more he didn't know as well. "What's wrong with the water?" he asked. "I don't think they like it."

"Nothing's wrong with the water for you and those who follow the Lord; only they don't understand that yet. Why don't you empty your pail and come here? Dip up some of the water and show them."

Gavin tipped the gravel out of the pail and bounded a few yards closer to the stream. He stopped just short of Michael, scrunching his nose at the smelly red liquid that bubbled over the banks of the stream. "I don't know…it looks yucky."

Michael stepped to him and gently took the pail. Gavin let him and watched, wide-eyed, as the man dipped the pail into the stream. The red stuff ran over the side of the pail and splashed on the man's arm, but when he stood up, there was nothing red on him, or the pail. He handed Gavin the plastic toy, and the boy looked inside. There was clear water inside.

"Hey, how'd you do that?" Gavin grinned.

"You can do it, too. Just dip the water from the stream, and you can drink it. It will be like that."

Gavin stared at the water a little longer, and then tipped the pail up and tried some. It was good! He looked up to thank the man, but he was gone. Gavin shrugged and went back to the stream. Just as he was dipping up some of the red water, he heard his daddy behind him.

"Gavin, what are you doing; get away from that stuff!"

The boy jerked back, bringing some of the water with him, and just like Michael, his sleeves were wet, but not red. He smiled and ran back to his daddy. "It's okay, daddy! See? The red stuff is clear again when ya take it outta the stream."

His dad had bent down to receive him when he ran up, and Gavin happily presented his father with the pail full of water. Jack started to jerk back at first, and then realized that there was nothing red sloshing out of the container.

"What the…?" He tentatively took the pail from his son, and stared at the water in it. "You got this from the stream?"

"Yep!" Gavin beamed. "The big shiny guy showed me how—the angel."

"The what?"

"Me." Jack spun and stood, and Gavin grinned up at Michael as the angel was suddenly visible to everyone in the cavern. Aunt Sam gaped, and Uncle Simon was suddenly grinning. Michael smiled. "It was Jesus the Christ himself who said that you must become as little children," he said, and nodded to Gavin. The boy waved, and showed off his water again.

"Hey, I know you…" Jack stammered.

"Of course you do, daddy. That's Michael."

The angel chuckled at the boy, and spoke before any of them could respond. "The Lord's works are great and marvelous; his judgments are true and righteous, yet he provides for his own," he said, and motioned to the pail of water.

"You mean we can drink the water?" Landry asked.

"You see," Michael said. "Praise God Almighty for his works."

Then he was gone.

* * *

Even though the waters that had turned to blood were safe for believers, the new potential problem was still too large to exclude the settlement's leader from the inevitable discussion that followed its discovery. Only an hour after Daniel woke that afternoon the other seven members of the board piled into the infirmary and found seats around Daniel's bed in the form of the surrounding beds.

Though she wasn't officially part of the meeting, Vala stayed with her husband, perched on the edge of his bed at the head. After another close brush with death, she wasn't going to leave him alone for a while—especially considering that he wasn't out of the woods yet.

Refusing to act in his official capacity while lying down, Daniel had managed to sit up with some assistance. Vala had agreed to help him on one condition—that _she_ be the backboard he leaned back against, just to make certain that he didn't slip and cause himself any more unnecessary pain.

"You know, I think they would understand," she'd told him in a last-ditch effort to keep him horizontal, grinning a little in an attempt to disarm him.

"Vala…" he'd given her that look—the determined one that somehow made her angry at his stubbornness and melted her in her place at the same time—and she hadn't been able to refuse.

"As long as you're sure you'll be all right," she said reluctantly.

Daniel had smiled a little then, probably to make her feel better. "Vala, I trust Shifu. I'm sure I'll be fine eventually. Besides, if I'm right this isn't exactly physical anyway; I hardly think movement is going to hurt the recovery process."

Even so, he'd insisted that she help him up right then, instead of waiting until the other arrived. It had turned out to be a good idea, too, because it took a couple of good shouts, and two or three full minutes of stifled groans and a gentle embrace before he was all right again after he'd moved, even if they had taken it slowly. Daniel had just managed to straighten up against her and school his features before the others showed up. They had no idea how serious the 'injury from the other plane' seemed to be right now.

Vala was more worried about Daniel now, and she could still feel the stinging sensation from the tears that had dried before ever leaving her eyes.

But there was nothing she could do about it but hope that Shifu had been right.

"How are people going to survive anyway, if all of the water is blood?" Jack was asking now.

"Previously collected water," Sam began. "Civilizations that have any technology left may have processed water already in storage, like Earth, and those that don't may have reservoirs. Those that don't have either will have to collect rainwater, or trade for it, most likely."

Simon spoke up next. "The verses in the Bible that mention this judgment say that the 'rivers and springs of water' will turn to blood. Obviously we've seen that includes smaller streams. Most likely, it includes all running water. Springs means sources fed from groundwater, which implies that any groundwater is also now blood. However, all of that may means that other freestanding bodies of water may still be water. Those of that category that are not already stagnant may also be drinkable."

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment. "What about our water? You've said that it becomes clear again when a believer takes it out of the stream. Has anyone tried giving it to one of the undecided we have here?"

Hank nodded. "That was one of the first things we wondered about. We were afraid it would turn back to blood if given to one of them, but it didn't. We can't say that's true everywhere, we're not having that problem here, no. We shouldn't have any trouble keeping our own people alive."

"But that's not our only concern," Reynolds commented.

Siler nodded in agreement. "We have to help where we can."

Simon was already smiling. "He's right. I think the Lord is giving us an opportunity to reach out to others that are still undecided. They will not be able to drink their own water that has turned to blood, but we can bring them water—trade it, if we have needs, but also give it away. Hopefully it would help them to understand that out God truly does care about them."

Daniel nodded eagerly. "That's what I was just thinking. This could be a whole new outreach for us. I think it's something we should start working on immediately, if it makes sense to the rest of you." In his excitement her jerked forward a little, and Vala felt him quickly draw back the mere inches to lean against her again. She felt the tremor of pain that worked its way chest out from his chest. She could only see the side of his face, but it betrayed none of that. Instead, under the blanket he was clamping down on the edge of the mattress with one hand, and she was sure his jaw was clenched.

All she could do was rub his shoulder for a moment; something that would seem perfectly natural to the others, and yet tell Daniel that she knew—that she was here. Vala knew that he didn't want their friends to know how much pain he was in. It would stop soon, after all. Shifu had said so. There was no reason to worry them. He would be fine. Carolyn was the only one who really had any idea; she was throwing concerned looks their way by now.

Jack sighed, and everyone's attention shifted to him. He leaned forward, palms pressed onto the edge of Daniel's bed. "A lot of people are going to die, though. Obviously there would be no point to this if it killed off _everyone_ that wasn't already a believer, but we can't save everyone either…a lot of people are going to die."

He looked around, and they all shared his expression, and his thoughts. This was something they had to deal with every day.

They couldn't help everyone. They couldn't get to everyone. Not everyone would be saved.

Vala wrapped her arms around her husband from behind, and his hands gently clasped hers over his chest.

They would do whatever they could.

* * *

Richard Woolsey stared blankly across the desk at the wall opposite him. Below, he heard the stargate shutting down, and remembered that another dispatch of GC troops was heading out this morning. It was routine; there was no reason for him to be there. Walter…no, not Harriman. He had been gone since the vanishings. The gate technician would let him know if there were any problems.

The IOA had long since been disbanded—deemed useless once Potentate Carpathia had been securely in power, and privy to all knowledge of Atlantis and the Stargate program. Woolsey had filled the gap in his work life with a position in New Babylon, doing what he had been doing before he'd ever heard of the stargate. He was a typical diplomat again. The job brought with it a good bit of travel, and he had enjoyed it for a while. Eventually he had worked his way closer and closer to Carpathia.

It was then that he realized the Potentate wasn't all he was said to be.

That hadn't been more than two years after the vanishings, and since then he had done the only thing he knew without a doubt that he could do well—play the field, keep everyone happy, keep his job…survive.

As far as anyone in the new world capital knew, he was and always had been a devoted Carpathia loyalist. That had served him well a year before, when General Hank Landry and half of the personnel of Stargate Command had disappeared along with their families. The general public knew nothing of the event, those who had to be told _something_ were informed that the Global Community had been 'unwillingly forced to eradicate a serious problem,' and only he and a select few knew the truth.

That they had escaped from Earth.

Richard had been called on to step into the role of commander of the SGC. He had been happy with the job at first. Maybe the program's official objectives weren't the same as before, but the environment was familiar after all the time he had spent here in the past. It was good to be back.

But almost no one was familiar here anymore; those that were he had only known as nameless faces in the corridors. They were still nameless faces in the corridors. Woolsey had thought that he would be happy, finally in a position where he could possibly be of some good instead of the nearly useless assignments he had been sent on since the vanishings.

Instead, the job felt empty. He felt empty.

Woolsey let out a stream of air through his teeth and leaned down over the bottom drawer of Landry's desk. (Even after a year here, it didn't feel like his. Nothing here felt like his; or maybe the problem was that it _did_, because all of those he knew that would usually claim all of it were gone.) Richard unlocked the drawer and pulled it out. Stacks of his own papers crowded the top of the deep drawer, but after a moment he was able to dig out the object that had been buried.

It was the first thing he had found when he was cleaning out the desk after he arrived. It was a small, cheap Bible, not very old but already well worn with use. When he found it he should have discarded it or turned it in immediately—but he wasn't a good GC citizen. Instead he had purposely placed it back where he found it and left it there, never quite forgotten. He couldn't bring himself to either get rid of it, or really look at it.

Woolsey pulled it out carefully, and stared at it for a moment, making sure it was out of sight from the windows into the office. His other hand rubbed unconsciously at the small mark on his forehead.

The mark wasn't real, of course—not after what he had seen in Carpathia. The man was a manic, and the world had fallen for his tricks. There was nothing Richard could do about _that_, but he wasn't going to follow blindly, either. After the career he'd had, he had more than enough contacts to procure a fake mark almost immediately after they had become available to the public.

He wasn't sure at the time what the point had been of getting a fake one. He'd wanted to appear to be a good loyal citizen by being one of the first to take the mark, but he didn't want the weight of bearing something that represented a crazy man, at least not something that did to his knowledge. He didn't care what the rest of the world saw, as long as he knew he hadn't really taken Carpathia's brand.

The tattoo was an elaborate, expensive temporary thing that would remain perfect for months at a time. He had only had to have it redone once so far. What was under the skin was a tiny microchip not unlike the ones used in real marks, but it was much less complicated. All it did was emit a signal that told any GC computer it was a real chip, if checked. In his position though, his mark wasn't checked often. This helped, too. His food came from the local branch of some kind of underground trading organization. Something fake could only do some much, after all. He couldn't buy and sell with it.

Woolsey looked at the Bible for a long moment, and then slipped it into his briefcase to bring home and look at in private. There seemed to be no point to anything anymore; maybe…just maybe there was a point in there. At this point, he would look anywhere.

It was then that his assistant burst into the office, waving a single piece of paper wildly. "Sir! Mr. Woolsey, sir; we have a problem!" With a routine troop deployment?

"What is it?" he asked, straightening.

The young man quickly handed him the paper. "It's nothing to do with the SGC directly, sir. It's everywhere."

Richard scanned the paper, noticing the New Babylon address. It was a general announcement, e-mailed and faxed to all GC bases. Stargate Command wasn't much more than another GC base now, anyway, except for the fact that the general public still didn't know about it.

"What?" His eyes jerked back up to the assistant. "The rivers now, too?"

"Yes, sir." The young man looked nervous. "How are we going to survive, sir?"

Once he was home in the relative safety of his own apartment, Richard took the Bible out again. He had another reason to read it now. Maybe it could answer the boy's question—his, too.

There was no name inside, but it had to have been Landry's. Still in his suit and tie, he sat in chair at his small kitchen table to read. He flipped toward the back; if he remembered anything of this book from his boyhood, it was that the better parts were closer to the end...

* * *

After the board meeting, Carolyn went looking for Jar'en. She found him in the mess hall, stirring half-eaten blue Jell-o in a small plastic bowl.

"This is a very interesting food," he commented when she took a seat across from him. "What is it made of?"

She made a face. "Trust me; you don't want to know."

He smiled, but then sighed. "I cannot stay long. I must return to my own settlement in a moment, in light of this new development."

"Oh…I understand." She did, completely. Then why was she so disappointed?

She told him about some of what had been discussed in the meeting, and he agreed that the water idea was a good one.

"I will share that with Bra'tac when I return. If he has not already thought of such a thing himself, I am sure he would embrace the idea. It does seem that this will give us opportunities."

"I sure hope so."

Jar'en nodded again, and stood. "I am sorry, but I must go now."

Carolyn stood with him, and they walked out into the corridor.

"I will try to return soon," he said. "If you wish me to, that is…or you are certainly welcome to pay a visit to our camp. Of course, any of you are always welcome, but I would like it if you were to come…" He trailed off, looking like he wasn't sure where to go with all of that.

She laughed a little. "I'll see you soon."

"Yes," Jar'en smiled.

And before Carolyn knew what was happening he had leaned in and kissed her briefly, and disappeared around the corner.

* * *

The wound from the Others showed itself only in the pain in Daniel's chest. The pain was like a bubble—dull and almost non-existent when he sat still and didn't breath, but it expanded when his chest did to breath. Too much movement set it off, and so did too much breathing. For a day or two he needed help just to sit up.

It wasn't that bad for long, and by the end of the week Carolyn had released him from the infirmary. He could stand on his own, and walk with a little help. Even so, Vala made him stay in his own bed for another week, and slowly it got better. After the full two weeks, the pain had faded to nothing more than a mild nuisance, and they were sure everything would be fine.

A month passed, then two. Thousands were dying across the galaxy, and the numbers soon climbed into the millions with so many planets that were short of water. The plans to bring water to those that needed it had been put into action as quickly as possible. Hundreds of souls were being won for Christ in those weeks after the crisis began, and even in the face of the tragedy that was everywhere, the general mood at the Earth settlement was better than it had been in a while.

Vala's belly grew bigger, and Daniel enjoyed entertaining the thought that he would be a father soon. It seemed the others were having more fun than they should have thinking about that, too. Often he caught well-mannered jokes in the corridors about him finally getting that family, and when Vala was with him she couldn't help playing it up by planting a good kiss on him in the middle of the passageway. Everything was fine.

But then a third month passed, and the pain began to return.

Daniel didn't tell anyone; there was nothing they could do about it anyway. It came back slowly and he managed to keep it under wraps, learning to keep it off of his face…learning to move around with it, act normally. He was terrified at first, because he didn't understand why it was happening. Was it only part of the healing process? Would it stop again, and be gone for good? Or did he have something to worry about?

* * *

"Two shipments of water are going out to Gedif tomorrow. We're getting twenty cases of that fruit of theirs in trade from one tribe, and the second shipments' weight in meat from the other. That'll do us for a couple of weeks, but we already have another trade set up a few days from now…"

Siler rattled on for a couple more minutes, going over the stats for the day. The board didn't have a separate room to meet—that would have been pointless and wasteful—so they met at the foot of the platform in the gathering room every evening.

Daniel slowly pulled in a breath; he couldn't do it any other way anymore. "Great…have we heard from the jaffa this week?"

"Not yet," Sam filled in, shaking her head.

Carolyn nodded in agreement, arms crossed and lips pursed. They all knew she was thinking about Jar'en, the young jaffa she had…befriended, recently. It was obvious that much more was there, but it was something they didn't bring out in public whenever they could snatch time with each other.

"All right…We'll give them a little while longer, and if they don't make contact, we'll send a ship to check on them." This was standard operating procedure now. All four settlements—theirs, the jaffa, the Tok'ra, and the previous ascended—kept in scheduled regular contact with each other, to be certain that they all knew the others were safe.

Today Daniel barely got through the evening meeting. His chest was bothering him even more than usual, and it had been difficult to breath all day. He just needed to get back to Vala, and their quarters, and sleep. He would be fine; this was all just the work of the Others, the ascended. Their beam had done something to him, and it had to work itself out. Maybe it was taking much longer than he'd thought, but that was all right. He was alive, right?

He didn't expect the corridor to fade out in front of him on the way home.

Involuntarily he sucked in a breath when his vision blurred, and he swayed. The sharp breath sent him into a coughing fit that only made the pain worse. Once he had it under control, the pain faded, and he realized he was on his hands and knees.

Daniel glanced around quickly, hoping no one had seen him. There was no one in sight, and he was going to get to his feet when his gaze caught on the dark splotches on the stone ground in front of him. He stared for a long moment, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. His breath caught when it finally clicked in his mind,

It was blood. His blood.

* * *

Vala stopped just inside their quarters. Daniel was beside her because they had just come back from morning chapel, and he looked at her with concern.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," she smiled. She took his hand and pressed it to the side of her round midsection. "Right…there." She felt the sensation again in the same spot, and grinned.

"She's kicking," Daniel smiled.

Vala smirked. "Oh, so _now_ you agree with me?" He only shrugged, but she was glad for the distraction. Something had really been bothering him for a the past couple of weeks, and with the baby theoretically just a little over a month away from arrival, the last thing she wanted was tension. Her goal now was to cheer him up.

The baby decided it wanted to do a little more moving, and Vala had to sit down on the edge of the bed. Daniel sat beside her and she leaned into him, pulling both of his hands over her belly now. He smiled again when he felt the movement. They sat that way for a few minutes, sharing the only real way they had now of interacting with their unborn child.

"You're going to be strong and stubborn like your mother, aren't you?" Daniel chuckled quietly.

"Of course you will," Vala agreed, patting her stomach. "You'll be smart handsome like your father, too."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted a girl."

She shrugged. "I'll take either, but more recently I've been thinking that maybe I'd like a gorgeous little boy like you," she answered, and kissed his nose. Normally he would have jerked away playfully, or laughed out loud, or both. Today he sat very still and just kept on smiling…with that strange look in his eyes she'd been seeing a morning, the one she couldn't make out.

"Well I'm flattered, Mrs. Jackson, but _I _want a beautiful little girl like _you_."

He was still speaking softly. Actually…now that she thought about it, he had been speaking more quietly quiet often lately. She wondered why she hadn't noticed before.

There was a long moment of silence before she spoke. "Is anything wrong, Daniel?"

"What? No…not that I know if, anyway, except…"

Vala pulled in a breath. "What?"

"We still haven't heard from the jaffa. Actually, Jack, Teal'c, and I are taking a cargo ship over there tomorrow."

She sighed. "Oh."

If there was anything wrong, she wasn't going to find out this morning.

* * *

Daniel dreamed vividly that night, of the incident with the Others.

He felt the first beam hit him, and felt Shifu trying to heal him as much as he could before sending him back.

If Shifu had done that…that meant it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Didn't that mean he should already be fine? It made no sense.

The dream went on, and Shifu spoke to him one last time. There was light as Shifu started to transfer him, but something slammed into both of them...

That was it. In the dream Daniel was suddenly in the corridor of the compound, curled on the ground in pain. Before Shifu had sent him back one of the Others, or maybe more, had hit them again. If Shifu had been annihilated by that blast, then…

That had to be it. That blast had hit him too. There was more damage than Shifu had originally thought he would come home with. The boy hadn't known he would be attacked before Daniel was safely back. He hadn't been able to protect Daniel completely.

He couldn't breathe. Daniel's mouth opened and closed, his lungs pulled but nothing came in. His head felt sick with the pain, but it was doing him no good. The pain wasn't telling him air was filling his lungs; it was telling him he was trying as hard as he could, but he wasn't getting any.

But was he still dreaming or not?

Slowly a voice faded into his consciousness, someone whispering frantically. He couldn't answer. He couldn't do anything. He felt hot tears on his cheeks, but still he didn't know if any of it was dream or reality.

"—aniel! Daniel, please!" Soon the whispers were shouts, and he realized it was Vala. He felt his body jolt once, twice, three times, and finally realized it was a fist beating on his chest. Hers.

Finally air rushed into his lungs. The wave of pain that came with it brought new streams of silent tears, but he could breathe. He could breathe.

"V-ala—!"

She was leaning over him, arms wrapped around him tightly, sobbing by now. "What happened to you?" she begged to know, through her tears.

"W-what happened…?"

"You almost _died_ that's what!" she cried. "I woke up from a nightmare where something happened to you; I wanted you wake up and kiss me, tell me everything was all right, that my worrying was for nothing, tell me that you were fine, but you WEREN'T BREATHING!"

The rant was bordering on the hysterical, and Daniel ignored the lingering pain and returned her fierce embrace. Vala relaxed in his arms but still sobbed. The tears from his own eyes continued mutely, because he knew now that what he had remembered in his dream had given him the truth. _Why, God? I don't understand. Why now?_

* * *

None of the Jacksons got any more sleep that night—not even the newest member of the family. Daniel insisted that had must have choked on something in his sleep. Vala didn't believe a word of it, but he refused to go to the infirmary. He refused to go anywhere. Because of that, Vala decided immediately that she wouldn't sleep. She wouldn't let him slip off on her; she had to make sure he made it through the rest of the night…even if the incident really had only been a fluke.

She wanted to believe that.

The next morning they dressed slowly, silently. She didn't know what to say to him, and he didn't seem to know what to fill the silence with either.

"You should stay home," she said finally, pleadingly.

"Now how would that look to everyone else?"

"Like you're rightfully taking time to spend with your pregnant wife? I don't know and I don't care, Daniel, but you shouldn't go out."

"Vala, I'm fine…"

"Then what happened last night? I almost lost you again. How often are you going to do that to me?"

He dropped the shirt he was folding onto the stone shelf in the wall. "Vala, stop."

"What if something really did happen to you—"

He choked. "Vala, please…"

"What if you went somewhere, and you didn't come back…?"

Daniel crossed the room and pulled her into his arms almost forcefully. "Please stop, please, please…" He held her like someone in need, like someone who was afraid to let go, with his face down and buried in her shoulder. Vala slowly returned the embrace.

"Daniel…"

He was silent for a long, long time. "Vala, if anything….happened…would you forgive me?" he whispered.

"What do you mean?" No answer. "I…I guess I would…" She held him tighter. "It's not really up to us…what happens. I wouldn't be happy, but…we'll all see each other again in a couple of years, right? I would forgive you…I could never be angry with you. I love you."

"I love you too…"

More silence.

"Daniel, what is it, really?"

She thought he was ignoring the question again, but this time she heard something, something barely audible.

"I don't think Shifu knew everything…"

"What?"

Daniel pulled back, shaking his head quickly and trying to smile. "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm fine. I should go; we're leaving soon."

Vala held her arms around his neck for a moment longer. "All right…" she trailed reluctantly, and finally released him.

Daniel's hands went her belly, and he smiled down at the unborn child even though his eyes were suspiciously red-rimmed. "See you later, little guy—or girl," he chuckled. "Be good for Mommy, okay?" He looked straight up into her eyes then, and kissed her long, tenderly.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled uneasily.

Daniel kissed her shirt where it covered her belly, and then he kissed her forehead. "See you later."

"Right," she nodded. "Have a safe trip."

He left just a moment later, and she turned just in time to see him glance back at her before he was gone. It was like déjà vu, watching him go.

Because Vala couldn't shake the horrible feeling that gripped her before he disappeared around the corner.


	68. Elegy

I couldn't wait, so I got this chapter out today and got it up for you! :D Enjoy!

NOTE: Whatever you do, read till the end of the chapter! ;) (And I 'really' want to know what you think of this one, hehe.)

Chapter 68

"Oh, crap," Jack hissed. He was flying, and Daniel sat beside him in the other seat at the front of the cargo ship, strangely idle for most of the journey. He saw his friend look at him, and heard Carolyn Lam come up from behind.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Ships," he answered. "There's only one uncloaked, but it looks like there may be several more. They're probably GC."

"That could be bad," Daniel agreed then.

Jack sense Carolyn's hands tightening on the back of his chair. "What are they doing? You don't think they've found the jaffa settlement, do you?"

He scanned the displays. "No…I don't think so. They're just sitting there."

"They might have gotten a tip," Daniel offered. "Or someone saw something."

"Or there's a traitor down there," Jack growled. They were too far out to have been noticed by the ships hovering over the jaffa planet, and he had cloaked as soon as they exited hyperspace. He pulled away from the planet, and they spent a long hour going around the planet in a wide arc, outside the range of any possible censors the other ships might have.

They approached again from the other side of the planet, hidden by its mass. Jack then dropped quickly to the edge of the atmosphere, far enough away that he could get around most of the planet quickly but low enough that they would be under the radar. As soon they were closer to the jaffa settlement, he plunged down to treetop level, still cloaked, and went the rest of the way there. He landed just outside of their ship bay. The blowing of the trees and the hazy distortions in the air would be enough to alert those inside that someone was there.

No one came out, of course. If they were an enemy ship, the jaffa wouldn't want to reveal their location if it wasn't already known. Instead the three humans pushed their way through the thick foliage to a small entrance that led into the cave that served as a hanger.

They were met on the other side by several jaffa leveling staff weapons in their direction.

"Whoa! Hey guys, nice precaution, but it's just us."

"Jar'en!" Their weapons were down immediately, and Carolyn was already running to throw her arms around the neck of her recent significant other. The sandy-haired jaffa let _his_ staff clatter to the ground to catch her. "We were worried about all of you; we hadn't heard from you in weeks; we were afraid something might have happened…"

"Well _something_ has," Jack reminded, glancing up in reference to the ships in orbit.

"Unfortunately, yes," Jar'en answered, releasing Carolyn after a moment. "Come. I will allow Master Bra'tac to explain." With an arm around Lam's shoulders, and one of hers about his waist, he led them from the makeshift hangar and into the Tok'ra-grown tunnels of the jaffa safehouse.

Jack couldn't help but notice that Daniel lagged behind.

Bra'tac must have received word of the ship landing, because they soon crossed him in the corridor heading for the hanger.

"O'Neill, it is you!" The jaffa master smiled graciously. "How glad I am to see you. I was not certain what we were to do about this situation if our Lord did not send us help." He hugged Jack first, then Carolyn, and by then Daniel had caught up. Bra'tac hugged him too, a great thumping embrace as he had given the other two.

Daniel probably thought none of them saw the pained expression he hid then, or the fact that he staggered backward against the wall once he thought none of them were looking any longer. Jack was the only one who _did_ see.

He hung back with his friend while the others went on to the small conference room. "Danny? You okay?"

Jackson winced at the use of his nickname. "Yeah, why?"

"You looked a little uncomfortable there."

"I'm just tired today, Jack." He rubbed at his chest self-consciously. "It still affects me a little sometimes, that's all."

Jack didn't believe that was all for a minute, but he didn't want to have to explain being too far behind. "Uh huh. Come on…they'll be waiting."

* * *

Daniel knew immediately that Jack had caught onto something. He was wearing that suspicious look that always lead to someone's secrets being uncovered in the end. He also knew that Jack wouldn't let up until that happened.

"I do not suspect a traitor or informant. If that were so we would have been raided and killed by now," Bra'tac was explaining when they caught up, just as the small group turned into some kind of conference room.

"But nevertheless, they have been here for approximately three weeks. They are looking for _something_. We are running low on supplies, but they are watching the stargate; one of the ships stays low in the atmosphere to do so. I suppose we could come and go as you did, but eventually it would be noticed, and we do not have enough ships to move everyone in one sweep. We have come upon a dilemma."

"Guess that's why we're here," Jack smiled.

"Indeed. I hope that you can assist us. I was hours away from putting our only other option into action. We would have attempted to get everyone out by cloaked ship in shifts, but it would have taken days. I am afraid many would be lost if we were to attempt such a thing."

As Bra'tac and O'Neill discussed possibilities and Carolyn hung back with Jar'en, Daniel stood against the wall and thought.

From what he could hear, his friends weren't coming up with anything more useful than what Bra'tac had been about to try. There was simply no good way to get every believer on this planet out of this safely.

"Maybe some type of distraction..." Jack said uncertainly.

Daniel pulled in a slow breath, grimacing at the pain in his chest, and pushed away from the wall. Now he knew why he was here. He knew what he had to do. He hurt to think what it might mean in the end, but there was no other choice. It was the only thing that made sense.

"He's right," he said, barely loud enough to be heard over them. His voice was still weak, and he hated it—but at least they turned to him. "Jack's right. That's the only way to do this without losing too many people. We have to get them away from the 'gate so everyone here can go through."

Carolyn scowled. "Yeah, okay, but how would we do that?"

"Easily. They're looking for evidence of Judah-ites, so we give it too them. Someone takes a ship out. Drop cloak halfway up to make it look like a power failure, and run, lure them away. With any luck, they'll think that was all there was, and they may leave. All of you may be able to come back. But for now, we get everyone through the stargate while the GC are distracted. It won't matter if the GC noticed _that_ because we cycle through a dozen planets when we're using the stargates for travel anyway."

"But what about whoever's piloting the ship?" Jack frowned.

He winced. "There's always the chance something could happen, but ideally I'd cloak again, make a few hyperspace jumps, and get home in a few days, tops…"

"Whoa whoa, that's a good idea, but when did this become you?" Jack protested.

"Well it has to be one of us; we're the only three here who know how to get back by ship."

"But of us, why _you_?"

Daniel let out a breath of air that was hurting his chest. "It's my idea, Jack."

Bra'tac looked concerned. "But do you not have a child on its way?"

"Yes, but Jack already has Gavin…"  
"You need to be there when your kid is born, Daniel," Jack answered gruffly.

Daniel stopped for a moment, seeking air but not getting it without the pain he had to pretend wasn't there. "Jack…if anything happened to me…" He heard his force waver, and forced it to straighten again. "If anything happened to me, our child would still have Vala. Gavin would have no one."

"But you guys could take care of him; not that I plan on anything happening to me, of course."

"But it's still a possibility with this…"

"Who says we're gonna do it that way!"

"The boy is right; it is really the only option that we have, O'Neill," Bra'tac said calmly. "However, if you were to explain the coordinates to me, I am certain that I could get to your planet…"

Jack shook his head. "You're in charge here, Bra'tac. You're people need you." He snapped around to look at Daniel again. "Speaking of which, _you_ are the leader of _our_ people now. You have a responsibility to stay alive."

Daniel was on the wall again. It was getting harder to breath. "You don't understand…"

"Yes, I do. I know about this hero complex thing you've got going on. No, it has nothing to do with wanting to _be_ a hero, but you think you always have to be the one to do everything—like it's your job to save everyone and you feel guilty if you don't. Well you can't save everyone, Daniel."

"I know that," he said through clenched teeth. "If I've learned anything the past few years, it's that."

Jack's arms crossed in frustration. "Then why are you insisting on this?"

"Because I'm the only logical choice. We have other nurses back at our safehouse, but Carolyn's really our only doctor. She can't take the chance of doing it, and neither can you. We can't risk orphaning a child." Jack paled at that idea. Daniel was going to use that, but instead he doubled over coughing when he tried to take in a little more air first.

The pain in his chest exploded into agony from the harsh movement within, and he could hear himself crying out with the heaving cough.

"Danny!"

"Daniel!"

He could hear them shouting, but he couldn't answer. His arm came up over his mouth, and his knees buckled. Someone caught him, maybe more than one someone, but he couldn't pry his eyes open to see who.

"Hold on…!" Jack ordered. It was the last thing Daniel heard before he lost consciousness.

* * *

Carolyn paced just outside the door, and he knew Jar'en was probably with her. The doctor was beside herself, berating herself for not forcing Daniel to come in for another checkup sooner. Even if she had, would see have seen anything? What was wrong with him, anyway? The tests they could do with what little equipment was here…it was all inconclusive.

Jack beside the low cot stiffly, willing his friend to awaken.

Why had he gone off on him like that? He'd sensed something was wrong…he shouldn't have gotten Daniel worked up. Maybe he wouldn't be flat on his back now.

A soft moan pulled him back to the present. Blinking, he looked down into groggy, pain-clouded blue eyes. "Jack…?" Daniel croaked.

"Hey buddy…" He grimaced. "I'm sorry."

Daniel shook his head slowly. "Wasn't you…" He was staring at the ceiling now, and his fists worked open and closed as if he was fighting something.

Jack swallowed. "What happened back there, Danny?" He put a hand on his friend's arm where the sleeve was now covered in thick dark blotches. "This is blood."

He picked up the arm and stared at the sleeve. "No it's not…"

"Yes it is. I'm not colorblind, Daniel."

Daniel's eyes closed. "I know." Slowly he sat up, and the tortured expression on his face told Jack that it wasn't something else he was fighting. It was himself. It was the pain that was inside of him.

But why was there pain?

Jack tried to keep him horizontal, but holding him down seemed to hurt him more then just helping him sit up. He felt his throat clog. "Daniel, what the h…heck is wrong with you?" He had to stop himself from wording it as he would have done it without a second thought years ago. He was that worried.

"The dock says that nothing's blocking your air and there's no infection, but that the airways are constricted anyway, and something's causing pressure in your chest, kind of like a few months ago when you had that injury from the other place or whatever…"

Daniel swallowed now. "That's because it's the same wound, Jack," he said quietly.

Jack blinked. "But…but I thought you recovered weeks ago."

"It almost went away for a while. We _all_ thought I'd recovered. Then it came back."

"Came back?" he echoed.

Daniel nodded. "It just keeps getting worse," he answered, voice unsteady. "I haven't been able to breath for a month without feeling knives in my chest, and for days I've gone to sleep wondering if I would wake up at all."

He felt himself paling. "Danny…"

"I'm dying, Jack," he cried quietly. Years ago he would have said it calmly. Jack could still hear the cold, matter-of-fact voice of his friend as he explained what would happen as the radiation poisoning took him. Years ago his own death wouldn't have phased Daniel much. Now he had a family. He had more than one good reason to want to live, and more than one fresh tragedy on his mind to soften his emotions.

Now the emotion flooded over Jack, gripping his throat and his heart with a terror he hadn't felt since Sara was dying on the ground beside him. "No…Danny, no…"

The crying was hurting him, and Daniel calmed enough to explain more. "It's not just the beam that hit me in the chest, Jack. It's the multiple beams that hit both Shifu and me just as he was trying to send me back. They hit him directly, and he was destroyed immediately. He was already gone when I woke up. But they must have hit me too; I think the effects were just delayed. Shifu wasn't taking those other blasts into account when he said I would heal. He didn't know I'd get hit again, and with that many beams."

"No," Jack said stubbornly. "We need you. Vala needs you; that baby's going to need you…"

Daniel looked at him through red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes that swam with moisture. "I don't understand either."

"But he can't do that!" Suddenly he was on his feet. "I'm right! Your family needs you. Those people back at the Earth safehouse need you. _I_ need you to keep myself sane! How could He let this happen!"

"I'm not Him, Jack." Daniel didn't get up. His head hung weakly, and his chest heaved for air that Jack now realized he couldn't get enough of without hurting himself. Suddenly his own chest ached with the pain of seeing his best friend in such a sorry condition. It just wasn't right.

Hadn't he been through enough?

"What's wrong with You!" he shouted at the ceiling. "What's the point!" But his anger quickly deflated, leaving him with the aching sorrow—the painful inevitability. He dropped back onto the edge of the cot next to Daniel's. "No…"

He didn't realize until then that Daniel was trying to stand. "Hey! What are you--"

"I have to go back out there…" His legs gave out again. Jack barely caught him in time, and it was already too late to steer him to land. Instead he lowered his friend to his knees, and went down beside him. Daniel was limp, forehead pressed into Jack's shoulder as he struggled for air.

"Now…do you understand…why I have to be the one…to do this?" he grated out.

He understood all right, but that didn't mean he wanted to believe it. He could only nod in response.

Daniel started to really cry then, softly. Soon he lost consciousness again.

Reality didn't really set in for Jack until a few minutes after that, when Daniel stopped breathing and they almost lost him.

* * *

When Daniel woke again all of them were around his cot—Jack, Bra'tac, Carolyn, and now Ka'lel. From the looks on their faces, it was apparent that they knew the truth. Carolyn looked puffy-eyed, and Jack had that tight expression he got when he was trying to hold himself together.

"Hey guys…" he said lightly. "Who's the party for?"

No one seemed to get it. He wasn't sure there had been much of a point to it anyway. Jack and Bra'tac helped him sit up.

"So…?"

"There is a tel-tak ready," Ka'lel told him quietly, referring to the small cargo ships that comprised most of the ships the Earth and Jaffa settlements had in their possession.

Jack's arm had never left his shoulders, and Daniel felt him squeeze a little. "Are you sure about this, Daniel?"

"I don't have much of a choice." Wrong answer. "I mean I want to, Jack. I can do this. Hey…I still plan on getting away. I'll meet you back home," he said, smiling a little.

_Just so you won't die alone_, Jack's eyes said in their sorrow.

Daniel straightened, and Jack got the message that he wanted to stand up, and helped him again. This time he actually made it to his feet.

Carolyn hugged him wordlessly, and then Bra'tac took his shoulders, much more gently than usual. "Then go with God, Daniel Jackson. Go with the Lord."

"Thanks," he swallowed. "I'm gonna need Him."

He was fine once he was sitting in the cockpit of the cargo ship, but the collapse seemed to have sped his worsening condition. Jack and Bra'tac had to help him get there from the jaffa infirmary.

"This isn't a suicide mission," Daniel said, once Bra'tac had left them alone. Somehow he felt the need to remind his friend of that.

"No," Jack said tersely. "But thanks to your friends the ascended jellyfish, it doesn't feel much better."

"I plan on getting back," Daniel told him again. He stared out the front windows absently. "When I realized what was happening to me, I decided that I had to stay alive long enough to see the baby born. That's all I want right now, and I'll fight as hard as I have to to make it happen."

"Good. That's more like you."

Daniel looked at him quickly. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

He hesitated. "If anything happens to me out there…Vala doesn't have to know the rest; just how I died, not the fact that I was going to anyway."

Jack nodded silently, and his hand squeezed Daniel's shoulder again. "Just come home, okay? One more time?" His voice cracked, and he looked away.

"I'll do what I can," Daniel told him. He smiled, and after a long moment Jack smiled back tentatively. "See you later?"

"Yeah,' Jack said thickly, and mussed his hair. "See ya."

* * *

The jaffa from the settlement were ready, crowded around the hanger exit holding only what they could carry at a run. Perhaps there would be time to come back for more later, if the GC left after this, but all of them had learned long ago not to attach themselves to material things.

Carolyn clung to Jar'en's arm, feeling helpless. There were no sick to be tended to, and nothing she could do to move the plan forward. They could only wait for a dying man to lure the GC away and allow them to get through the stargate.

Her throat clogged again with the sorrow and the guilt. So what if they would see everyone again in a little more than two years? Wasn't there something she should have been able to do for Daniel? Jar'en held her, knowing she was hurting.

They saw the ship take off, only noticing it because they knew where to look. It rose, cloaked, and headed for the stargate. As it passed close, the cloak went down. The way it even seemed to flicker first amazed her, and she wondered how he'd managed to get it to do that. He really did know what he was doing.

After the cloak was down the ship started up quickly, away from the ship that was already hovering near the stargate. The GC ship took chase, but could really do nothing. The helplessness of the cargo ships was something they were counting on. None of the faint signatures from the cloaked ships in orbit had been large enough to indicate any Al'kesh.

As the jaffa began to pile out of the hanger and head quickly for the 'gate, another ship came down from orbit to join the chase. It uncloaked, and—

"Jack, they're not supposed to have weapons!" she shouted.

Across the crowd, O'Neill's head snapped around, and she saw his mouth gape open in horror. Carolyn looked back to what she had seen, and saw two more ships coming down from orbit. All three of the ships that came down had some type of weapons system crudely attached to their sides.

Ka'lel knew something was going wrong, and she was the one to rush ahead. Seconds later they heard the kawoosh of the opening stargate. The jaffa people began throwing themselves through the open wormhole as one of the GC ships broke off to fire at them. Red laser fire shattered rocks around them as they fled for safety.

Daniel's ship came back again, closer again, trying to distract the ship that was firing, but the other two were firing at _him_. He still had to stay far enough away that their fire wouldn't fall on the civilians as well.

_God help him, please! Help _us_…_

Somehow the beams missed everyone. There were screams of terror, but not one of pain. Carolyn tripped over no bodies as she made her way to the 'gate. When she got there she stayed at its side, shooing the jaffa through. Jar'en stayed with her, helping.

"Go!" Jack yelled. "Go through with them; I'll bring up the rear." He was still watching Daniel's ship worriedly.

Jar'en started to protest, but she cut him off. "It's useless to try to argue with him. Come on." She threw one last look toward Daniel's ship. It was still weaving in the sky, dodging beams from the enemy and heading farther up, trying to get out of the atmosphere and away now that most of the jaffa were through the stargate.

It wasn't until she and Jar'en started to step through that she heard a blast behind her hit its mark.

* * *

Daniel felt the jolt, knew the ship had been hit. His aching chest told him again, in no uncertain terms. Ignoring the pain, he gripped the control globe and tried to pull out of the wobbling path the blast had sent his ship on.

Then he was hit again.

The ship spiraled this time, and there was no coming out of it. The engines were out, and without them there was no way to control this flying brick.

His breath caught in his throat.

He'd almost made it out of the atmosphere. He was much to high. Even the outer shell of a Goa'uld ship wouldn't survive a crash landing from this high up. If the ship wasn't smashed completely to pieces, there would certainly be enough of a slam to kill him instantly, especially in his condition.

Daniel pushed himself out of the chair, braced against the controls in front of him. None of them were responding, and reality was slowly sinking in.

He was going to die: not in a few days or weeks, but now. Right now.

_Vala, I'm sorry…_

He'd done what he set out to do. The jaffa were safe. Jack and Carolyn were safe. His family was safe back home. Vala and the baby would be all right without him for a couple of years, as much as he didn't like it. By the time he got back, the child would just be old enough to begin to really recognize him, anyway.

Still he felt hot tears on his cheeks, surprising against the coldness of his skin that came from being sick for so long.

Daniel closed his eyes, shutting out the rushing image of the ground coming up to meet him. He thought of his friends, his friends that had gone on before him, and he sent his love to Vala. One thought among the others jumbled in his mind brought him more comfort than the rest.

Today he would hold their lost child in his arms.

* * *

"NO!"

Jack's scream echoed across the tree-lined valley, but it didn't stop the ship from going down. It slammed to the ground behind a crop of trees, and all he saw of it then was the ball of dust and dirt and flames that rose into the air above the treetops. Something other than himself pushed him through the event horizon, because he knew he had to go.

There was nothing he could do. No one could have survived that.

* * *

Carolyn whirled back toward the open wormhole as soon as she was through, certain that something horrible had happened on the other side. She had heard the thundering sound in the sky, the impact…

Jack O'Neill stumbled through the event horizon moment later, trembling, eyes wide with shock. He tried to compose himself, but he couldn't help stammering when she fearfully asked what had happened.

"The ship…th-they shot it down…H-he, it…it went up in….he's gone…"

* * *

Daniel expected the brightness, the sudden absence of pain. It wasn't white; it was just _bright_, yellow and bright and warm. Instead of the vision of huge pearly gates, there were welcoming voices around him. He saw nothing but the brightness, but he heard the voices, echoed warmly in his ears.

_Welcome to the club_, Cassie chuckled.

_You have done well, Daniel Jackson_, Teal'c told him.

Sara sighed. _I knew there was a reason Jack kept such a good eye on you. _

_Hey, long time no see!_ Jon called.

_Here so soon? _Bruce Barnes chided softly.

And two more voices.

_Danny…oh Danny, we've missed you so much._

_We love you, Danny. Come home. We're waiting for you._

Mom? Dad?

Another voice cut in, this one with more authority, more power, and yet more love and tenderness than all of the others combined.

_**Not yet, my son. I love you dearly, but your work is not yet finished. **_

Then Daniel gasped—without pain—and opened his eyes.


	69. Confessed

Thanks for all the reviews! I hope ya'll stick around. ;) Anyway, had enough free time during vacation to get carried away on the length of this chapter, but no good internet connection most of the time, so...here it is finally, lol. Enjoy!

Chapter 69

With Jack and Daniel out, Sam was acting head until they returned, so she was the one in and out of the monitoring room watching the computer screens. They had weather-resistant surveillance equipment hidden on the surface, watching both the stargate and the sky around the concealed hangar. It was usually one of Siler's jobs to keep an eye on the video feeds, and he was there, but today she felt the need to watch them herself.

Late in the afternoon there was finally movement, but it wasn't in the sky. There was no ship coming in, and if there were it would have radioed in ahead if it were one of theirs. Instead, the stargate was dialing.

Siler knew what to do. He was on his radio immediately, telling the security detail on duty to be on the alert. No one was scheduled to come through today.

Sam held her breath and stared at the computer screen. If it was anyone unfriendly they should be well enough hidden—that was the point of the design of their compound. But what if Jack and the others came back? They would need to be warned that there were hostiles on the ground here, but radio signals might be intercepted, especially if it was GC carrying Earth technology…

Her fears evaporated when Jack O'Neill was one of the first through the event horizon. He was followed by Bra'tac and then more jaffa. Sam sighed and keyed her radio.

"Jack, this is Sam. We see you. Where are you coming in?"

There was silence for a moment before the general replied. "_Uh, the hangar. We've got all of them. Their location was compromised._"

"Okay." She cut the connection and turned Siler "Get more people to the hangar to direct those jaffa to the meeting room. It's as good a place as any for them to sit until we know what we're going to do with them…"

Siler nodded, and Sam headed for the hangar herself. By the time she arrived Jack and Bra'tac were near the entrance to the corridors, ushering the jaffa past them as they streamed into the compound. Behind her volunteers were showing up to direct the jaffa to the meeting room as planned. Sam told Jack as much.

"Right. Yeah. Good idea," he answered her absently.

Something was wrong. Bra'tac was more collected, but Jack looked horrible, and something was hanging over both of them. Sam kept her mouth shut as the tired but relieved jaffa filed past them. It wasn't until the stream of bodies began to peter out that she began to really worry. What was going on? Where were Carolyn and Daniel?

The last of the jaffa were inside, and Carolyn, Jar'en, and Ka'lel joined the three of them at the entrance. They had the same heavy expressions as Jack and Bra'tac.

Sam looked back and forth between them all, and cold fear crashed down around her hard. "W-what's going on? Where's Daniel?"

Jack waved to the rest of them, and they silently went on into the corridors. "Where's Vala?"

"She's in their quarters, I think."

He took a deep breath, and his jaw clenched. He put a hand on her arm and looked at her through pained eyes. "Then he's there. He's probably right there keeping an eye on her for us."

There was no other explanation. He gave her arm a squeeze and headed slowly away in the direction of the residential section of the compound.

Sam stood where she was, except that she felt herself sway back to lean against the cool crystal wall. Blood pounded in her ears, drowning out thought. She didn't know when the tears started. She only knew when she felt someone pulling her into their arms. She didn't have to look to know who it was.

"Sam, what is it?" Simon asked quietly.

She sobbed against his shoulder and held on tight. "Daniel's gone."

* * *

The first thing Daniel noticed was that he was staring at grass. The next was that he wasn't hurting anywhere. The third and fourth things he realized were that he was hot, and something behind him sounded like a freight train.

Daniel flipped over and sat up quickly, and gaped at what he saw. Just far enough not to be of any harm to him where he was, the wreckage of his cargo ship burned.

"Oh, that's…bad." Relatively, anyway. Compared to the fact that he was alive though, it didn't seem like much of a loss.

Slowly he stood up and took stock. It didn't take him long to realize that his original assessment had been correct. He wasn't hurt. There were enough minor tears in his clothing to make it look as if he'd been thrown from the ship when it hit and the hull split, but he didn't feel like he'd been thrown from a crashing ship. He wasn't even dirty, really. He felt better than he had in months.

_I must have died in the crash…It's the only explanation there could be for the damage from the Others being gone. _Daniel looked up through the smoke at the clear sky. _Thank you, God. _Part of him felt disappointment, strangely enough. He had looked forward to meeting the child he and Vala had lost…but they still would.

Now he had his family here to get back to.

An Al'kesh flew overhead, and he remembered the enemy ships. He had to get out of here before he could go home.

Daniel ducked for the trees, but in the disorientation of waking up, he hadn't seen that there were already GC forces on the ground. One of the Al'kesh must have landed to release troops when they saw his ship go down.

In moments he was surrounded.

_No…no no no, this is not supposed to happen!_

There was nowhere to run. He was grabbed and escorted into the landed Al'kesh immediately. The two GC men dragging him onto the ship shoved him unceremoniously into a cell and shut the door. One left quickly, and the other spat in his direction first.

"Judah-ite," he growled, as if the GC's name for believers were an expletive.

Then Daniel was alone, and he could hear the ship lifting off.

"Crap," he hissed. Swallowing hard, he backed into the single bench and dropped

onto it. Sure, he was more than a little disconcerted at being captured by the GC, but he was more worried about Vala and the others.

How would they know he was alive?

* * *

Jack hesitated much longer than he meant to outside of Vala's door. He could hear her around the corner, moving around doing something, even humming a little for goodness sakes.

How was he supposed to tell her that her husband wasn't coming home?

He jumped at a hand on his arm, and turned to see Carolyn beside him. "What…?"

"I managed to convince Jar'en to wait with the rest of the jaffa." She hesitated. "You can't do this alone, and I was the other one of us on this trip…"

Jack nodded gratefully. "Come on," he sighed. "I've stalled enough."

Vala was folding clothes from a small pile on the bed and putting them in their places on the recessed shelves in the wall. She looked up when Carolyn knocked on the doorframe.

"Hey. Back already? Where's Daniel?"

She turned back to the shirt she was folding, and Jack took a few steps into the room and cleared his throat. "Uhm, Vala…" The words stuck in his dry throat. She must have heard something in his voice, because when she looked at them again she was already uncomfortable.

"What?" she asked anxiously. She dropped the shirt and came as far as the table in one quick movement.

He took a deep breath. "Vala, I—" And there were the tears again. Jack gulped them back and tried to blink them out of his eyes, but it was no use. She'd already seen them.

"No…"

He let out the breath and launched into the extremely Reader's Digest version—the only thing he could handle telling or she would probably be able to handle hearing right now.

"The GC found the jaffa planet. The only way to get everyone out was through the 'gate. We needed a distraction. Daniel…he wouldn't let anyone else do it," he swallowed. His breath caught. There was no other way to say it, if he was going to keep his promise to his friend…the one to not make Vala feel worse with the gory details of why he'd done what he had.

Still, there was more to explain, but Carolyn seemed to pick up on the fact that he couldn't go any farther right now. "It wasn't supposed to happen," she finished quietly. "The plan was for him to cloak and get back here on the ship once we were all through the stargate, but…but he was shot down."

Vala's hands clamped over mouth, and tears sprang to her eyes.

The sob the sight jerked out of Jack's throat jumpstarted his voice again. "I'm sorry," he choked.

As her head started to shake in denial, an inarticulate protest ripped its way from Vala's throat and through her hands. Carolyn went to her quickly, as she started to sob loudly. Jack realized at the same moment Carolyn did that Vala's legs were going to give out, and they caught her just in time. The two of them guided her gently to the edge of the bed, where she leaned into Carolyn and cried helplessly.

Jack felt like a broken third wheel now, but he wouldn't leave. He kept a hand on Vala's back, offering whatever comfort he could.

Until Daniel and all of their other friends with him returned, Vala and the baby were his responsibility now. He would have done it even if Daniel hadn't asked him to.

* * *

Wherever they were going wasn't far, because within a couple of hours the Al'kesh Daniel was imprisoned on dropped out of hyperspace, ducked through an atmosphere, and landed. He heard the bootsteps moments later, headed in his direction. If these were the good old days, those footsteps would have been the metallic sound of jaffa coming for him.

Right now he almost wished for those days.

The GC Peacekeepers dragged him off of the ship and into the dim light of a quickly darkening sky. In front of them loomed an old, single-story stone building that lay on the edge of a good-sized trading village. Daniel realized it had been commandeered as a relatively small GC outpost when they led him inside and to a short corridor lined on either side with makeshift cells.

There was no point in struggling when they pushed him into one of the cells. After all, where would he go? He didn't even know if this planet _had_ a stargate, much less where it was if it did. He wouldn't get very far anyway.

At least this base didn't seemed to be too densely manned. The only guards to the prison section of the building were three or four bored-looking men at the entrance to the corridor, and Daniel hadn't seen many more officers on the way here. There was a good chance that a rescue attempt on the part of his friends could work out just fine, as far as he saw now.

If they even knew he was alive.

Daniel groaned quietly and examined his surroundings.

It wasn't really a corridor. It had once been a large, rectangular room, perhaps for meetings. The hallway had been formed when the cells had been put in on either side, so that now the only open floor was the passage between the two rows of cells. The cell walls themselves were formed of metal bars welded to metal strips that had been nailed into the stone walls—a perfect example of a classic jail design. As far as he could see he was the only prisoner at the moment too.

Wonderful. More attention for him.

* * *

Adria had gone out to spend some time with a few of the women she was making friends with, and Jacek was waiting for her when she returned. He pounced as soon as she was in the door, pulling her into his arms and planting a good kiss on her.

"There she is!" he grinned. "Welcome back, my dear."

"Jacek! Goodness, what's gotten into you?" she laughed.

Well, nothing—or nothing unusual "I was just thinking about us."

"Us?" She raised an eyebrow, but she was smiling teasingly. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Of course!" He let her go and moved a few steps away excitedly. "We've only got two years, Adria. We might as well make it official. I'm going crazy here," he said, giving a pointed glance at the two separate beds.

Her hands went to her cocked hips. "Jacek MalDoran, is that supposed to be some kind of proposal?"

"Indeed it is, my dear!"

Adria blinked, and then looked hesitant. "Jacek…"

He knew what her problem was, and he was going to address that, but they heard heavy footsteps in their doorway.

"Vala?"

She stumbled through the curtain door, eyes red and face stricken.

"What happened!" Adria cried. "Are you all right, dear?"

Vala ignored Adria and went straight to Jacek. "Daddy," she sobbed. Then she clamped her arms around his neck, buried her face in his chest, and started to cry.

* * *

As bad as it had been telling Vala, Jack wasn't sure if he could tell an entire settlement of people that their leader was KIA. Sam offered to do it for him, of course. She was next in line and she would be taking over anyway. Most of these people knew her better than they did him anyway—and she was younger. But Jack refused to let that be her first action in a new command post.

That was decided that night at the board meeting, which was held in the infirmary seeing as the jaffa were congregated in the meeting room. They had that to deal with as well. There wasn't enough room here for all of them, and they didn't have enough crystals or enough safe ground to expand the compound for them all, either. At most, using what Tok'ra crystals they had left over, they could house half of the jaffa, whose numbers were similar to theirs. They would have to begin contacting their allies soon, and find places for the rest of them to go. The idea of splitting them up wasn't pleasant, but there was no choice. It was too dangerous to find a whole new planet for them now, and no-one had enough room for them all.

The next morning couldn't be far enough away, but it came anyway. Jack took the platform instead of Daniel, and the tension in the meeting room—packed tight with twice as many as usual and spilling people out into the corridor—burst into a chorus of worried murmurs.

Jack made the announcement concerning the jaffa first. There were only a few grumbles; they had all learned to be flexible in the past few years. They didn't have a choice.

He cleared his throat, but that wasn't enough for them all to hear him today. "Hey, everybody, let's calm down…" he called over the crowd. It didn't take long for them to oblige. They wanted to know where Daniel was just as badly as he didn't want to tell them.

More than six hundred faces looked back at him, half of them silently begging him to tell them they were wrong in what they suspected.

Jack sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, that's not the only bad news," he said, in reference to the jaffa's situation. He was able to speak without choking up today. After, it wasn't like the old days. They all knew when and where they would see everyone again that they had lost. But it still hurt.

"Yesterday, Doctor Lam, Doctor Jackson and I went to check on our friends the jaffa here, because as you know, they hadn't contacted us in a few weeks. We were afraid something might have happened, and as it turned out, their position had been compromised by the GC."

There was more collective murmuring, and then he continued, launching into a quick explanation of what had happened, the plan they'd had…and the cost of its success.

"Doctor Jackson…didn't make it," he finished finally. "His ship was shot down just before the last of us made it through the stargate." His throat clogged against his will, but he didn't have to say anything else; the crowd was plenty distracted now. He mouthed a 'help' to the side of the platform and Simon climbed up.

"Samantha Dockett will be…taking over for the time being, and please pray for Vala like we would for the loved ones of anyone who's gone before us. She's having a hard time right now, with a baby coming…" Jack said. His throat made him stop there. "Sorry." He handed the platform over to the pastor.

Jack slipped out the back of the meeting room and found Vala, Jacek, and Adria there in the corridor. He wanted to ask why Vala had come out here, but she was already crying again—this time in her father's arms. Apparently any remaining differences were aside for now.

"She stayed with us last night; we'll take her back there for now," Adria told him quietly. "She needs to calm down. Jacek told her she didn't have to come, but she insisted that she wasn't going to hide in her room."

Jack sighed a little and gave Vala's shoulders a brief squeeze. "Okay. Take care of her…" he trailed off, exchanging a meaningful glance with Jacek. With a little grace, maybe a finally mended relationship with her father and stepmother could come out of this. All Jack could do to help along that was let them be there for her without protesting as he usually would. He'd disliked Jacek from the beginning after all.

Jacek nodded silently as if agreeing with all of it.

* * *

Jacek sat on the edge of Adria's bed and let his daughter lean on him. She was silent, wasn't crying anymore, but his heart still ached for her. It wasn't a feeling he was used to, but he welcomed the connection.

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry," he murmured. "If I could make it go away I would."

He knew that it was true. Maybe they hadn't really given each other a chance to talk to each other much in the few months that he'd been here, but at least he was close to her. Things were finally coming together for him…he had somewhere safe to stay, he was sure now that he was in love with Adria…if only Vala would really let him in…and accept Adria.

Vala pulled his arm from around her shoulders and hugged it, hanging onto it like a lifeline. "I believe you," she said quietly.

He wanted to ask exactly what she meant, but she pulled away and stood, pacing halfway across the room. "Vala?"

She leaned face-first into a wall. "Just give me a minute," she replied heavily. After a moment she turned around and leaned back on the surface behind her. Her eyes were still damp and rimmed in red, but this time nothing was threatening to erupt from her. "I have to snap out of this," she said, almost to herself. "I promised him…"

Jacek and Adria stood. "What is it?" he asked.

She only gave them a quick glance before staring straight ahead again. "I promised I wouldn't hate him if anything happened, and I don't. I'm angry, but not at him—not at anyone here. It's no one's fault…maybe the GC. It doesn't matter." She wiped at her eyes. "It's…it's all right to be upset, but we only have two years. He wouldn't want this…wouldn't want me to mope around mourning him. I'll see him again…"

Vala looked down and pressed her hands to her round belly. "Besides, I'll have this one to take care of in a month or so." She blinked back tears. "But…but he'll miss the first two years. The baby won't remember, but Daniel will. He'll know he missed it."

Adria tried to give her a smile. "I think they can still see us…when they're up there. Maybe he won't miss anything at all."

She stared blankly for a moment, and then her eyes closed. "Maybe." A couple of tears escaped her shut lids and she brushed them away and opened her eyes again. "I just hope I don't screw it up again."

Jacek blinked. "Again?" he echoed.

Vala shook her head and grimaced. "Nevermind."

He started to stop Adria when she took a step forward, but then decided it was useless. Either Vala would lash out at her, or she wouldn't. Today it didn't seem as if she would, though that made perfect sense. Vala had been more cordial to both of them lately…Maybe that meant something.

"Vala, are you sure you don't want to talk about it? Whatever it is?" Adria asked gently. "Even if it's not really related…it may still help."

She shook her head again. "It's a long story."

"We uh…we have plenty of time," Jacek said, trying to do what was best. Adria would know more about female emotions, and she was invariably a better person now than he was, so he followed her lead. "Well, sort of." If this whole 'Tribulation' timeline was right time _was_ limited to some degree.

"It doesn't matter," Vala intoned sullenly. "You wouldn't understand."

Adria hesitated. "You had a child before?"

Silence. Jacek wondered just how she was reading these things, but he supposed it was a girl thing. He wanted to know just when Vala had ever had a baby though, and if so where the child was. He'd heard about the whole Ketesh deal, and he felt bad enough about that.

"I have, too," Adria said quietly. "Not many people know that."

Jacek threw her a quick look. He knew about…but a child? This he hadn't heard either. He backed up against the table and leaned on it, pretty sure he was going to need the support.

Adria looked back and forth between them, but spoke to Vala. "It was after you left our homeworld, after your father and I were divorced. I never married again, but there were…incidences. I had a baby once, but even at that age I wasn't ready for motherhood. Two days after the boy was born I left him, unnamed, on the steps of the orphanage, left the planet and never looked back."

That was all definitely new information. He'd known she disappeared after they divorced, once Vala had run off as a teenager and never returned, but he'd never known the circumstances that brought her to leave.

Then Adria took a deep, uncomfortable breath, and he realized she was going to tell at least some of the part of the story he did know.

"I was with child one other time, when I was younger, before I married Jacek…but I had the pregnancy terminated," she admitted quietly, painfully. He remembered that at the time she hadn't thought twice. Now, through her new faith, she had come to truly regret the decision. Jacek had to admit that that there was promise in a belief system that held so much reverence for life.

He also had to admit that everything these people here believed sounded less and less crazy every day.

They were all silent for a long moment, until Vala cleared her throat. "I uhm, I don't suppose any of that really surprises me…when I remember the way you were then." Finally she picked up her head and looked at them, or at Adria really, as if peering at her curiously. "But you really aren't the same person anymore, are you?"

"Every day I work not to be."

Vala sighed and pushed away from the wall. She moved slowly to their table and lowered herself into one of the chairs. Her elbows perched on the table-top, and she rested her head in her hands. "I suppose I should tell you my story then."

Adria noiselessly sat in another of the chairs, and Jacek took the third. "We're right here, sweetheart," he told her. He squirmed uncomfortably. Something inside was itching for him to finish the first story before they moved on, though another part of him didn't want to. "But…"

Vala just looked at him. "There's something else you should know first."

Adria spoke under her breath. "Not now, Jacek; she's been through enough."

Jacek didn't lower his voice to answer. "Listen, I maybe I don't know my daughter as well as I should, but the one thing I do know is that lying to her hurts her more than anything else could. I can't do that now."

"What?" Vala blinked.

Adria sighed heavily. "What he means is…it's about…the first pregnancy I had, the one that was never born…it—" She stopped abruptly, and Jacek realized that another reason she hadn't already finished the story was because it was difficult for her now.

He swallowed. "The truth is, that kid would have been your half brother or sister," he finished quickly, and then stared at the table.

He felt Vala's eyes on him for a long moment—not even on Adria as well, somehow he knew it was only on him. "You…you two…" Suddenly she up off the stool she was sitting on, and Jacek jumped and looked up in surprise when her palms smacked down hard on the stone table.

"You slept with her while Mother was still _alive_?!" she grated out.

"Just once!" he snapped back, automatically going on the defensive. "It wasn't supposed to end up like that, and we stopped it because we were scared. I was married and she was barely an adult. For crying out loud Vala, _Kelana and I_ were barely adults!"

"Don't bring mother into this; she _loved_ you!"

Jacek's fists clenched. "I loved your mother more than anything, Vala!" he shouted. "But I was still young and stupid! Maybe I'm still stupid! I can admit that now." The tears were in his eyes before he could tell his body that he didn't want them, didn't want to show this weakness or be in this argument when he was supposed to be comforting Vala. Maybe because of that, and maybe because the dam built up over so many years was breaking…his heart emptied itself on the table in front of him and the truth spilled in waves to his daughter who should have known it all years ago.

"But…but don't you ever think that I didn't love her. She was everything to me…but I was scared. I was scared of fatherhood, settling down, failing at being a good husband, scared she would find out what I'd done with Adria and leave me…That's why I ran so much. I ran before everything could go wrong. Then it did anyway. She died, and I married Adria so you would have someone to watch you and I could _keep_ running. Then I lost you when _you_ ran, and you ended up taken by that snake as a host, and I thought I'd lost you for good."

Vala hadn't interrupted yet, so he went on. A dry sob coughed from his throat. "Those were the worst years of my life, Vala. Did I ever tell you that I saw you? When Ketesh had hold of you? I did a lot of business in her little corner of space. I saw her on her rounds often enough…I saw _you_. No one ever knew I recognized the host she was strutting around in. The first time…I hadn't seen you since you were fifteen, since the last time I'd been home before you ran. You'd hit a growth spurt since then, and I guess you were twenty-one or so, when she took you. You were a women, but I recognized you the moment I saw you…saw her in control of you."

Vala was staring at him in shock, Adria sat silent and a little wide-eyed, and Jacek shut his eyes to block it out so he could finish. "It was torture. It was hell then, and every time I saw Ketesh until I heard she'd been killed. Then I was left wondering if you were even alive, until you gained a reputation in my world."

He couldn't help but laugh a little. "It didn't take you very long. I remember I couldn't help feeling proud…but by then I was too afraid you'd hate me to manage the courage to track you down." He shrugged. "When I did find you, on Earth, it turned out that you did hate me. All I could do was pretend it didn't hurt."

"Jacek…" The choked sound was Vala's, and his eyes opened in surprise. Twin trails of tears tracked their way over her cheeks, and she was already moving the shortest way around the table.

"I—" Out of shame he tried to back away, but the furiously strong emotions seeping out of him at the seams were slowing him down, and she caught him and locked her arms around his neck in similar fashion to the night before when she had staggered to their quarters.

"I'm sorry," she interrupted him. Now she was crying again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"V-vala, I didn't tell you all of that so you could feel sorry for me. I just wanted you to know the truth. You don't have to think you should feel differently about me now…or anything," he stammered, holding his arms away from her even though she was still holding onto him.

"But why shouldn't I? You know me," she said between gulps. "If I didn't really want to I wouldn't even be here talking to you…I wouldn't care about what you just said, but I do. I'm so sorry."

Adria quietly slipped out of her chair and moved as if to leave them alone, but Jacek motioned over Vala's shoulder for her to stay. She did, but she moved into a distant corner and sat down again looking away. She bent over a little, as if maybe she was praying.

"I'm sorry too," he told Vala quietly. "About everything. I guess all I ever wanted was to make things right, but I never knew how. I still don't know how."

She pulled back and held his arms. "I do, but it'll require a little bit of faith on your part," she told him, sniffing through the tears that were still streaming, though silently now.

"You mean God?"

Vala shrugged, nodded a bit. "Jacek…dad…He's already brought you this far. Don't you think He can help you finish it? You really _have_ changed so much since I last saw you on Earth. I'm sure that was part of the plan. He led you to Adria. She helped. Being here helped you…all preparing you for when you would finally accept him."

She smiled then, and it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in a long time. "He wants you, Jacek. He wants you to be part of His family; He wants to _help_ you make things right. Anything is possible if you let Him help you."

Jacek studied her face, and saw the true hope for him that was there, the…love, even through the sorrow for her husband.

If her faith was something so strong that it could do that...if it was something so important that even after everything she had been through and everything that had just been said she would still bring it back to this, always this…then what was he waiting for?

"Where do I sign up?"

* * *

Daniel wasn't alone in the cellblock for long.

Hours after his arrival two new occupants were shoved in, and in the morning more came. That morning the two brought in the previous afternoon—unfortunately an undecided, if he was seeing the clear forehead correctly from across the hall—were killed. It wasn't clear why; a combination of lacking a loyalty mark, bad-mouthing Carpathia, and being completely useless loners with no information to give.

Then again, he supposed that on a backwater outpost like this there didn't really have to be a reason.

That, of course, didn't make Daniel feel any better. At least he could know they probably assumed he had information they wanted, given that the jaffa had been seen fleeing through the 'gate. Though that would probably work for more unpleasantness than good in the long-run. His suspicions were deemed correct when the door at the end of the corridor opened, and four nasty-looking human GC officers marched down the row straight for him. As comfortable as they seemed with their surroundings, it was safe to assume they were from out here and not native to Earth. There weren't many Earth GC out here anyway.

One of them was dressed a little fancier than a others—a few more patches on his dull uniform. This one stood a little apart from the others, waited until one of them opened the cell door and the other two rushed in and grabbed Daniel's arms to secure him. But he was already on his feet and there was no reason to struggle; again, no point. Really no point, with all four of them here with zats strapped to their thighs.

Once Fancy Patches was inside Doorman closed and locked the cell again behind them all. Thug 1 and Thug 2 still had Daniel's arms, and looked ready to gladly do whatever they were told. They seemed almost disappointed when he didn't immediately put up a fight. Daniel snorted mentally.

"Hey guys," he said cheerily. "Nice day, isn't it? Then again, I wouldn't know. There aren't any window in here."

Doorman backhanded him. "Don't play games with us, Judah-ite. You know what we want."

Daniel had held his head still, and now he blinked a few times against the sting. "Oh, then you'd rather get right to business? I can do that: No."

The grips on his arms tightened almost painfully, which was enough to warn him before Fancy Patches threw a hard punch in his gut. Daniel grunted bent over a little from the impact, grunted, but that was all he was going to give them.

"Where did the jaffa go?" Fancy demanded. "And who are you? Where are _your_ people hiding? If you tell us, we may even release you if you take the loyalty mark."

Daniel straightened and rolled his eyes. "Well I'm never going to take that mark, so it doesn't matter if I tell you, now does it? In that light, I'd rather keep it to myself, thanks." He couldn't help the startled yelp of pain he barked out when Doorman punched him in the stomach three times more, in quick succession.

"We have full authorization, and no qualms about making you miserable until we learn what we want to know from you in one way or another," Fancy said above him as he stared bent-over at the floor, gulping in air.

"Of course," Daniel gasped. "That's the way the galaxy works these days, after all. Common decency went out the door a long time ago; why should I expect _you_ guys to have any?"

A knee came up in his stomach, though he didn't see whose. Either way it unlocked his own knees and dropped his legs out from under him against his will. He looked up just in time to see Fancy Patches gives the thugs a silent signal. He learned what it meant when they took the opportunity to drag him back and clamp his wrists into heavy metal manacles hanging from the ceiling near the back wall of the cell.

Daniel realized when Thug 1 and Thug 2 let go of him that of _course_ the chains had to be at that perfect odd height where the prisoner could stand if they wanted, but if they lost their footing their knees wouldn't touch the ground. With the chains for some support now he pulled himself back to his feet, but he didn't hold any illusions of hope that they would leave him healthy enough to stand for long.

"What? Is that all you've got?"

Fancy Patches glowered at him, and barked something back down the corridor. A moment later another Peacekeeper hurried quickly to his superior and handed over something through the bars that Fancy had apparently asked for—a Goa'uld torture stick.

_Oh…that's just great._

"Here we go," he muttered aloud.


	70. No Coincidences

Wow, that's a lot of chapters...anyway, I hope you like this one; please do let me know, thanks! :) Merry Christmas!

Chapter 70

Richard slowly pulled to a stop in the shadows of the trees that surrounded what had once been Springs Baptist Church. He had never attended, and now even the temporary building that had been put up after the earthquake was gone, but what remained of the rubble served as a perfect cover for an outpost of the underground trading system Woolsey acquired his food and other necessities from.

They used the large basement of the old church, which had been expanded before things had come down around the ears of those not loyal to Carpathia. Most people he saw down there marveled at the strange walls of the good-sized addition to the basement, and the two thin tunnels that lead to other exits, but the bluish crystalline siding was all too familiar to Richard. He hadn't been able to help but smile the first time he had come here, after the contact who gave him his fake mark directed him to the location.

Woolsey climbed silently out of his car and feigned heading toward the nearest house before he dropped behind a pile of rubble and felt for the metal handle of the small trap door. He pulled it up partly when he found it, glanced around him again, and then quickly yanked it up, dropped through, and closed it over him.

The space below was lit by dim torches, and one or two battery-powered electric lights. A young, heavyset man sat at a plastic table with a laptop computer, and several other individuals milled between stacks of supplies with bags they had brought. The man at the table looked up and nodded when Woolsey dropped in.

"Richard."

"Jake," he nodded back. Woolsey pulled a couple of folded canvas bags out of his jacket pocket and wound between the short aisles of foodstuffs himself. He loaded things into his bags as he went—bread, lunchmeat, roman noodles, dehydrated milk, among other things…He didn't eat much, and tried to pick up things he could stretch out.

When he had what he needed Richard made his way back to the table, where Jake typed in everything he was taking. Woolsey was reaching into his pocket for a gold award pin he didn't need when the younger man shook his head.

"That silver pen you gave me last time should cover you for another few weeks," he explained.

"That long?"

Jake smiled a little "This is mostly a charitable organization, remember? We don't ask much. Besides, the worth of just about everything precious has been shooting through the roof since Carpathia went crazy. Can't trust GC money anymore…"

Richard nodded. "Right. Of course. I wish I had time to keep a closer watch on that." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and pulled his bags off the table. "Thank you." He meant to go, but instead he hesitated for a long moment.

"Something on your mind?"

"Actually…yes. See, I decided to take a look at a Bible, and…"

Jake's eyebrows went up. "Oh you did, did you?" Most of the people who came here were Christians, as was he. Woolsey knew they all looked for opportunities to share with the undecided that came through their door here. Maybe now he was ready to listen.

Richard nodded, and Jake was about to say something else when a young woman approached the table with her bags. Jake threw Woolsey a look. "How about you hang around here for about a half hour, and my shift will be over. Then Brady can take over, and I can answer your questions."

The long-lived skeptic in him wanted to decline the offer and get home, but when Richard looked around at where he was, and remembered just how pitiful a state the entire universe seemed to have fallen into…he couldn't say no.

* * *

The chains around his wrists clicked open, and Daniel crashed unceremoniously to the floor. With no warning enough to maneuver the fall, his cheek dug into the hard stone floor, and his right wrist folded under him. Where he'd been rather sure it was broken before, there was no doubt now—but he didn't have enough energy to shout about it, either. The best he could do was a strangled grunt as he barely managed to pull the offended limb out from under his body.

He wasn't sure how long Fancy Patches, Doorman, and the two thugs had stayed in his cell, throwing questions at him, but he was more than glad to see them leave. Already it hurt to breathe again, but for an entirely different reason. His vision was dangerously blurred but his glasses lay several feet away, broken and useless.

At least, if he ever got back, he knew he still had a few spares stashed in their quarters.

Daniel groaned and slowly turned over on his back. It made the breathing easier.

He was pretty sure he faded out for a little while, because the next thing he knew someone was leaning over him, shaking him some, but not enough to hurt.

"W-what…?"

"Ah, there you are," said a faintly accented male voice.

Daniel's eyes flickered open, and he was staring up at a red-haired man maybe ten years or so younger than himself. There was no mark on him, from the GC or otherwise. "What?" he questioned again, thoroughly confused.

The man held a Goa'uld handheld healing device up into his range of vision. "I assume you wouldn't mind a bit of help?"

"How did you get in here?"

"They let me in when they're finished with their sick little games," he answered, holding up a key and glancing at it. "It only opens the cells in here, not any of the other doors, and of course they're always right outside, those Peacekeepers. I can't really get away with anything."

With the hand that wasn't attached by a broken wrist, Daniel reached up to massage a temple as he tried to grasp what the man was saying. "You work here?"

"Of course not. I would have to have Carpathia's mark to qualify as an employee. No, no, I'm a prisoner as well, but I have a private cell just outside the corridor—a slightly more permanent residence, unfortunately. I was captured early in the game, at least a year ago when the arrests began for not having the mark. When they realized what I could do for them they simply kept me here instead of killing me when I refused."

Daniel blinked, his mind still a little muddled. "Why?"

The man answered apologetically. "They like to keep their prisoners alive as long as possible. They get more information that way."

"Oh…right." That cleared it up. The man asked him what needed tending to, and he mentioned the wrist and cracked ribs. The man then proceeded to carefully place the bad wrist on Daniel's stomach so that both wounds could be reached easily, and went silently to work.

"What's your name?"

The question seemed to startle the man. "Deref," he answered in surprise.

"Daniel."

The man raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk to me?"

"Why wouldn't I? I don't see anyone else around here to chat him."

Deref chuckled. "Yes, well, usually when the prisoners learn of my purpose here—namely aiding the GC in prolonging their suffering—most of them don't want to speak to me anymore. Often they refuse my help, as well."

Daniel would have shrugged if he hadn't remembered that he should stay still while the man was using the device to heal him. "I don't have any reason to ignore you. It's not your choice to be here."

"No," Deref answered darkly.

There was a moment of silence, and then Daniel glanced pointedly at the soft orange beam coming from the medical hand device. "You were a host, I assume?"

"Yes. Well, for a short while, anyway. My symbiote was merely a general to a minor player, barely even a Goa'uld, really."

"Huh…which minor player?"

"Ketesh, one of those impudent solo females."

Daniel snorted. "Okay, _now_ I've heard everything."

The light snapped off, and Daniel realized now that his wrist and chest didn't hurt anymore, which left only the soreness and the fresh burn on the back of his neck. Deref was looking down at him in surprise as he slowly pushed himself up on his elbows.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a small galaxy after all. Ketesh's last host is now my wife."

The redhead's eyebrows both hiked up under his hairline. "That is certainly a startling coincidence."

But with God, nothing was a coincidence. Daniel sat up the rest of the way, pleased that his chest had been expertly repaired for the second time in two days. He glanced down the hallway formed by the cells, and took in that the three prisoners brought in this morning—the ones that hadn't been interrogated yet—didn't seem to be paying attention if they could even hear the conversation. He still hadn't gotten a good enough look to tell if any of them were believers. "If you believe in coincidences."

"What…? Ah. You must be one of these Judah-ites, as they call them."

"Yeah, I hear that's what we're called."

Deref skipped over the subject and rounded back to the previous one. "You say your wife was host to Ketesh?"

Daniel rubbed at the back of his neck a bit and winced. "Uh, yeah…"

"Hmm. If I remember correctly, she was a very beautiful woman. Of course, she must be if she was a host, but still…you are a lucky man."

"Thanks." Daniel smiled wistfully. "I thank God for her every day."

Deref looked at him for a long moment. "Sometimes I envy you, and the others like you…for that belief you can have. More lately than in the past."

With God there were _definitely_ no coincidences.

"That's a good first step."

* * *

The look on her father's face as he looked up, the sight of the dark familiar shape taking form on his forehead, was enough to put another chink in the shroud of pain that had settled over Vala in the last two days. Strangely enough, even Adria's smile helped. Her heart ached again even as her mind fled to Daniel, and everything he was, everything he'd done for her…

Just a few short years ago, if she'd lost him, even before he returned her love, she was certain now that it would have killed her. Now, after everything he had taught her, everything he had given her, with the real meaning to life he had shown her…she could survive. She could do more than survive. She could be all right. If not so long after losing now she could feel better, only after a few short sentences from Jacek to a being she hadn't believed in three years ago…then she could be all right.

Adria had held his hands as they all sat on the edge of one of the beds, but she let Vala hug him first when he was through. Vala was amazed at how good it felt, the embrace, after hating her father for so long.

"Thank you so much, sweetheart," Jacek said quietly, earnestly, in her ear before he let go. There were tears in her eyes when she pulled back, and she stood and turned away as Adria all but tackled him joyfully. Vala heard the kisses without having to look, though she couldn't make out the whispers, but when she finally gave in to curiosity and turned around they both sat still.

"What?" Both of them looked decidedly uncomfortable now. "What is it?"

Jacek sighed. "Vala…I know this may not be the best time, but now I feel like I should ask you first, before I do something." Adria squeezed his hand encouragingly.

Vala sighed and lowered herself into the closest chair, swiping at her eyes again as inconspicuously as she could. "It's fine. What do you think you need to ask me?"

He exchanged glances with Adria. "Well, I…_we_…" He patted the other woman's knee. "We want to get married."

Adria looked a little worried that he was going into this now, but she didn't stop him. If he'd been worried about her being shocked, he shouldn't have. Vala's eyebrows went up, but the news wasn't as completely unexpected as he seemed to think. "Oh, well…you certainly don't need my permission."

"We'd still both like to know if it's all right with you," Adria said quietly. "But if you don't want to answer now, that's all right, if you need more time after what's happened…" She elbowed Jacek at that, further enforcing Vala's belief that she hadn't meant for him to ask just now.

Vala waited a moment, and then sighed. "No, really, it's all right. I…I don't mind—that you asked now, or if you get married. Not anymore." She looked down abruptly. "Maybe that's what I need now, a distraction…" She trailed off and looked up again. Her eyes were damp again, but there was nothing she could do about it now, in the middle of a conversation.

"I'll be all right, really. This is…it happens. We have to be even more ready for it these days, for so many reasons. I…" Her hand went to her belly, and she felt the child within her shift as if in response. It didn't help rid her of the tears. "It hurts to think that he won't be here when this little one is born, but…but he'll be back."

Vala took a deep breath to steady her voice, and reached forward to take one of each of her hands. "And I want both of you to be happy. As absurd as that would sound to me two or three years ago, even a few months ago, I mean it. I know Daniel would want the same, and he would want _me_ to feel that way. And I do. I do, honestly. You _should_ get married."

Jacek's eyes were damp now, and a single trail of tears was already tracking down Adria's face. "Oh, sweetheart," he sighed. He made as if to get up and hug her, but she got up first and slid over to sit on the bed between them. "I love you," he said then, quietly, and then his arms were around her.

Vala leaned into him, breathing in the same musty scent she remembered from her childhood. "I love you too…dad."

Then Adria's arms wrapped around her too, from behind, the baby kicked again, almost happily, and something inside her that hadn't been whole in a long time clicked back into place.

* * *

Daniel used the bars the pull himself back to his feet and sighed. Deref had listen to him for a few minutes at least, before running off worried that the Peacekeepers would get suspicious. Maybe he just needed a little more time.

He paced a little, swinging and stretching his arms and slowly working out the soreness from hanging from them for a little while. His mind wandered to Deref. It helped to feel useful, while he was stuck here. Was that the reason in the first place, that he was here? For the younger man to become a believer? Maybe others?

Daniel didn't realize that the possibility bothered him until he noticed that he'd stopped walking. His arms were wrapped tight around his body, and his teeth were chattering. It shouldn't bother him…even if he had to suffer a little for it, he should be glad for the opportunity to help lead more people to Christ.

The problem was, he realized, that he worried if that was the _only_ reason he was still alive. What if he died here anyway?  
It wasn't the dying that bothered him—though he was decidedly against the pain factor—but he didn't want to leave Vala and the new baby. He knew he would be back, but more than anything Daniel still wanted to be there when the child was born. It was his first child, maybe his last if he never made it back.

Daniel swallowed hard and backed into the first barrier he ran into, one of the walls of bars. He moaned softly and sank to the floor, and his head had dropped into his hands before he could worry what any passing Peacekeepers might think.

What if he really wasn't supposed to get out of here?

* * *

When Brady arrived to take over the table at the supply exchange, Jake had pulled Woolsey into the mouth of one of the extra escape tunnels, and answered his questions. Richard wanted to know where he should look. He'd heard it all before, what these believers said, but now that he was more inclined to pay attention, he wanted to see the answers for himself in the book that was said to hold them.

However, the Bible he'd found in Landry's desk was nearly a thousand pages.

Jake had seemed a little disappointed that he wasn't ready to make a decision, but he'd written down the passage references and encouraged Woolsey to give them a serious looking-over. Richard had promised he would.

"And you know, either way, if you want to get out of that GC desk job, we'll find you a place to stay—somewhere you don't have to worry about keeping that fake mark in place," Jake reminded him.

The tone was friendly, but it also reminded Richard that the believers he knew here didn't exactly approve of his choice to attempt to retain his life among the Carpathianists. But he wasn't going to give it up until he was sure of what he was supposed to be doing instead.

"Thank you." He smiled a little and stuffed the scrap of paper in his pocket, then picked up his bags. "I'll keep that in mind." He would, too, still, in case anything changed. Something was telling him that it just might.

* * *

Daniel didn't know he'd drifted off until he woke again to the sound of zat fire. He jerked to his feet and spun around to see one of the three prisoners at the end of the hallway disintegrate—just like the other two that day.

His hands gripped the bars and a scream rose in his throat, but one of the two remaining beat him to it. It was a young woman who had screamed, and now he could see the mark of the believer on her pale face, before she cringed away from the GC Peacekeepers in the cell. The other prisoner, an older, white-haired man, stepped in front of her. He was also a believer.

"You can end our lives here, but we know where we will go then. Your threats mean nothing," the old man said calmly. The woman straightened a little, nodding silently.

One of the Peacekeepers in the cell sneered, and Daniel recognized him as the one he'd silently dubbed Fancy Patches. Thug 1 and a new one, Thug 3, were behind him, and Doorman waited patiently outside the cell.

"Then I hope you enjoy wherever it is you think you're going," Fancy snarled.

"NO!" Daniel screamed before he had consciously made a decision to, but it was too late. Thugs 1 & 3 fired, and in seconds there was nothing left of the two prisoners.

Then, of course, Fancy's attention turned to him.

Daniel schooled his face into a carefully hard expression as all four Peacekeepers approached him. He forced his hands to let go of the bars and faced the cell door when Doorman opened it.

Fancy swaggered in, smirking. "Don't worry. That won't happen to you for a while. See, we _know_ what you're hiding, and you know we want that information. You won't get off so easily."

That was just what he'd feared, of course, but it didn't help hearing it out loud. Daniel forced himself not to swallow. They would see that.

"And your point?"

Fancy cocked his head. "Maybe now is the time to begin again." Then he nodded, and Thugs 1 & 3 swiftly seized Daniel's arms and pulled him back toward the chains.

* * *

Sam woke crying again, but Simon was there, as always, with arms around her and a comforting whisper in her ear.

Tonight it only made things worse.

"Sam! Sam…?" he asked in alarm, probably afraid he'd done something wrong. It took a few moments before she could answer him, and her hands pressed into his chest to assure him she was all right.

"I-I'm fine," she sniffed. "It's not you, I'm sorry, I just…this time I woke up, and you were there, and I…I couldn't help but…but remember that he's not there…for Vala…" The words tumbled out in an uneven rush, and Simon seemed to understand her mindset and let his hands drop from her shoulders, though his eyes still held hers as she pushed up on an elbow.

"I understand," he said quietly. He searched her face. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I _will _be," she admitted.

He held out an arm, questioning, and Sam laid down again to allow herself to be wrapped in it. "I know this is hard," he told her softly. "I know we all hoped it wouldn't happen again."

Losing Daniel was more of a blow to her and Jack than any of the others could understand—with bonds that went back at least seventeen years.

"No such luck," she mumbled tiredly. "Not in this day and age." The tears prickled at her eyes again, but half of it was her hair and she pushed it out of her face. It was even longer now, more than halfway to her waist because there wasn't much time for things like haircuts for those to whom it wasn't necessary. Only the men really bothered to keep up with that anymore.

"Vala seems to be doing well," Simon commented.

"Thank goodness," Sam sighed. That was the one thing she'd been really worried about—Vala falling apart on them—but only a week later and she seemed all right. She was coping. She spent much more time with her father and Adria, too. She supposed that made sense, now that Jacek was a believer. That had surprised them all, but none of them wee sorry for the reconciliation it seemed to have brought with it in some way.

Needless to say, all three of them were much more pleasant to have around when they weren't avoiding each other.

Sam managed to smile a little, glancing up at her husband. "Now you have something to do, too. You have a wedding to plan and perform."

Simon chuckled shortly. "Yes, and if watching Carolyn Lam with that young jaffa is any indication, it may well not be the only one I have to perform soon."

She latched onto the new subject, so far removed from the pain in her chest. "I hope so. Carolyn really deserves someone, no matter how much time we have left."

"I agree."

Sam turned over then, and pressed her lips firmly over his, obeying some part of her that wanted to make sure he was really there. "It could have been you," she explained breathlessly, voice barely a whisper. "It could have been me; it could have been anyone."

Simon kissed her cheek, and slowly traced his lips back to her mouth. "It could be, some day before this is over. It could be both of us one day." He pulled back then, looking into her eyes again.

Her breath caught in her throat, for more than one reason. "If the day ever comes, I hope you don't mind my saying I hope it is—both of us, I mean."

He shook his head slowly. "No. I think I'd prefer that, too."

* * *

Thug 2 stood by in case he was needed, and Doorman 2 stood outside the cell. This one, who sometimes replaced the first Doorman just as the Thugs rotated, always stood outside the cell. Daniel was pretty sure he'd seen the man grimace a few times, too. He never really took part in anything. But there was no time to wonder about the odd Peacekeeper as Thug 3 held the torture stick, and Fancy Patches paced up and down the side of the cell grimly.

"Where are the jaffa?" he demanded again.

Through the sweat dripping into his eyes, Daniel blinked silently up at the Peacekeepers with as much energy as he could muster—not much.

"Tell me where your people are hiding!" Fancy shouted.

"Sorry…but I don't think my wife would appreciate it if you barged in without an invitation," he grated out. He barely saw Thug 3 move before the fire started again, racing from his neck through the rest of his frazzled nerves.

After several long, long moments the fire finally stopped again, and Daniel slumped unwillingly, but his legs wouldn't obey his commands anymore. His body jerked against the chains, pulling on his arms and shoulders a little more each time. If the GC officers kept at this long enough, one or both of the shoulders would eventually pop out of the socket—he knew to expect that much by now.

But Fancy was tired today, and too impatient to keep going for now. Daniel steeling himself, hoping the bored look on the man's face meant he was about to be dropped to the floor and left alone for now. Instead, Fancy wandered over to him, kicking absently at his legs that hung bent, with his feet dragging the floor and his knees hovering maybe eight inches off the ground. The position was irritating—the understatement of the week—but then again that was the point.

Daniel tried not to wince when the Peacekeeper knocked long-standing bruises with his boots, and focused on trying to appear even more exhausted than he already was. Maybe that would convince them to give up for tonight.

"I sense that you're getting just as tired of this as we are. I would suggest that you change your mind before we have to get dirty."

"Oh, and you haven't been already?" Daniel grunted.

Fancy glowered at him, circled him. "Is that the best answer I'm going to get?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Hmm. I see." Fancy was behind him now, and Thug 3 exchanged an interesting, expectant glance with Thug 2. That couldn't be good.

Then Daniel was screaming, and a different kind of fire shot up from low on his left leg. He realized belatedly—meaning much later when the haze of agony had faded a little—that Fancy had stomped down on the back of one of his calves, which of course had been hanging perfectly expose, and at a perfectly odd angle for such a move to cause a devastating break that not only split both bones in his lower leg in two, but pulled his knee joint apart.

It probably didn't help that the leg was already weak before that anyway, from the scar tissue left by the two previous wound it had received since the beginning of the Tribulation.

Daniel didn't remember begin released from the chains, or even hitting the floor. He only remembered the initial pain, then nothing, and waking up on the floor and realizing what had happened.

Now he couldn't move for fear of jarring the horribly broken limb. His breath came slowly, hitchingly, interspersed with uneven gasps when an involuntary moment sent a burst of pain up from his leg anyway.

He tried counting, to keep his mind off of it. He tried to remember how long he'd been here. A week, maybe? It was impossible to tell. It seemed like they came at him about twice a day, soo…a week, give or take a couple of days.

Daniel waited, but Deref didn't come. They couldn't just leave him like this for long, could they? With a break this severe there could be—probably was—internal bleeding, which could easily lead to death…or was that what they wanted? He stopped that line of though right there.

Deref did come, eventually, just when he was hovering on the edge of unconsciousness again.

"I can't heal all of it," the younger man apologized. "They made me wait to come, and I was only given permission to make certain that what I left of the injury couldn't somehow kill you—but I suppose I can do a little more than that, and they would never know."

"Thanks," he gasped sarcastically, though the hostility was certainly not for Deref, and the redhead understood that. He put a hand briefly on Daniel's shoulder before he started his work.

"It is the least I can do."

Daniel managed to nod before he passed out again, his vision tunneling out on the mark of the believer that had been on Deref's forehead for two days now.

Neither of them noticed Doorman 2 watching them quietly from the end of the corridor.

* * *

Jack responded to Siler's radio call, and was waiting at the rings when Anise/Freya came down from the surface.

"Long time no see," he commented in response to her greeting.

She nodded, and Freya answered. "Yes. But we have important news. It was necessary to come ourselves. Anise and I were not sure if you would believe one of our colleagues with whom you are less familiar."

"Oh…kay," Jack blinked. "What's up?"

"It involves one of your people, from this settlement. The Global Community is holding one of them, and we know the location, and have gained tactical information that would be useful in rescue."

"Yeah, okay, that'd be great if anyone was missing, but we've got everybody accounted for here." _Everyone who's still alive, _he winced inwardly.

The woman's head bowed, and when she looked up again it was Anise who spoke in that creepy voice he'd never liked. "That is why we came in person. We believed you would wish to hear it directly from one of us—the man being held is Daniel Jackson."

He was silent for a moment, trying to make himself remember that she had no reason to be playing some kind of cruel joke on him. "Excuse me? I'm sorry, I thought we sent word..." His voice strained to remain steady. "We lost Daniel more than a week ago…"

"You thought you did," Anise continued relentlessly. "But we have a Tok'ra operative on the inside, as a Peacekeeper in a small GC facility. He has positively one of the more recent prisoners as Doctor Jackson."

Jack sputtered now, trying to contain the hope that threatened to burst from his chest. He couldn't hope; it had to be a false alarm. Daniel had gone up in smoke when that ship crashed…

"But, but—"

Freya spoke now, earnestly. "There is no mistake, O'Neill. We know no more than you do about how he could have survived, but he _is_ alive, and fervently in need of rescue."

The words finally sunk in, and at least part of him finally believed it. Jack swayed against the crystalline wall, cursing the old age and his busted knees.

Daniel was _alive_.


	71. Rescued

Oi, having to share a computer is taking my time for writing. Anyway, here ya go..I hope you enjoy the chapter; can't wait to hear from ya'll! Happy New Year!

Chapter 71

The hope crashed just as quickly as it had come, as Jack remembered that last day with Daniel, back at the jaffa settlement.

Even if he was alive, he was dying. Even if he really had survived that crash some how, he shouldn't have survive _this_ long. He'd barely been able to breathe and sit up straight at the same time last Jack had seen him. Even if they could get Daniel home, he wouldn't live long; that much was sure.

But that didn't mean they weren't going to try.

"O'Neill…Jack? What is wrong?"

He swallowed and looked at Freya again. "Uhm, I…yeah. Thank you, I…crap." He grimaced.

"What is it?" Freya pressed in concern.

Jack sighed miserably. "Look, thanks for the intel. That should be good news. It _is_, but...there's more to it than that." He could tell Anise was getting impatient, because she took over.

"What do you mean?" she demanded. "What is the problem?" Of course_ she_ would be the one wanting to know. The snake was the one with the old crush on Jackson.

"It's a long story…"

He explained as quickly and briefly as he could, trying to force the positive aspects of this news to the surface in his mind: Daniel was still alive now, if they hurried they could get him home to Vala one last time, they could all see him again. Instead his heart held painfully onto the negative parts: Daniel was still going to die, he'd been suffering since his supposed death, he wouldn't see the baby, they might not be able to get him back before he died in the first place.

Both Freya and Anise were strangely silent when he was finished. It had only taken a couple of minutes. "I…I am so sorry. We did not know," Freya said quietly, after a moment. When Anise didn't add anything, he wondered if she was all right.

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "Look, why don't you go round up the others. We've got to get moving on this. I'll go get Vala and we'll meet you in the main room, but it may be a little while. I have to tell her…" He trailed off and she nodded in understanding. "Right, ah…do you think you can tell the others? Or find Carolyn first, let her know what's going on, and tell her I want her to tell them. She's the only one who knows what happened back there. She could tell them."

She nodded.

"Good. We can hear your intel when I get there then."

"Very well." Anise/Freya hurried off immediately, leaving Jack to find Vala. Despite the good part of the news, he didn't think was going to any better than when he'd told her that her husband was dead.

He found her in the commissary with Carolyn and Jar'en, finishing up a late lunch. Jack ambled over as inconspicuously as he could, waited for them to clear the table, and pulled Vala aside as he told Carolyn over his shoulder that their Tok'ra friend was here and looking for her. Then he guided Vala out into the corridors before anyone could ask questions.

"What's going on, Jack?" Vala asked anxiously.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Listen, Vala, you didn't hear everything—about what happened."

She stiffened and stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"I mean there's more," he told her calmly. He was visibly calm, anyway. He couldn't say the same for his stomach. "I know this isn't the best time, but you need to know. There's a reason you need to know."

Vala's arms folded instinctively over her overly-large belly. He wondered how much longer she could go like that. She looked ready to pop. "About Daniel?" she all but squeaked.

Jack just nodded. He went back to her side and looped an arm through on of hers for support. Slowly they started walking again, and the fingers of her other hand bit into his arm as she unconsciously reached over and held onto it. "What?"

He took a deep breath. "Vala, did you notice anything…strange? Before we left? Did it seem to you like maybe he wasn't all right?"

She nodded slowly. "H-he seemed slower than usual, evasive…like maybe he was in pain again. The night before, he—" Her voice stopped, but she swallowed and pushed on. "The night before you left, I woke up and he wasn't breathing…it took too long to get him started again. Is that what you mean?

Jack grimaced. "Yea. That would be it all right."

"What?" she questioned again."

"Whatever those ascended whatevers did to him. The evil glowy guys." His voice dropped in volume. "It came back—the pain. He didn't want to worry anyone, but then it kept getting worse instead of going away again. He didn't tell anyone until he collapsed after we'd already arrived at the jaffa compound. "

Vala stared at him. "What? I-it came _back_? How is that possible?"

"He thought it was a delayed reaction from too many indirect hits—the same ones that killed Shifu."

She swallowed. "How long had it been back? How long was he hiding it?"

Jack deciding that under-estimating that one would be wise. "I'm not sure…he didn't say exactly. Several days, or more…"

There was silence for several moments as they walked slowly back toward the Jackson quarters. After a moment or so Vala swiped at the few silent tears on her cheeks. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Just like him…That's why he wouldn't let anyone else run the distraction, isn't it?"

Jack mouth open and closed a few times before he could answer. He had to give the woman credit; she was fast, even when upset. "Yeah, he—" He broke off before he could really get started, and sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over his face. He realized they were nearing Vala's room, so he waited and helped her ease into a chair first before he continued. By then she was looking at him expectantly, and he had no choice anyway.

Slowly he lowered himself into the chair next to her. He couldn't meet her eyes at first. His hands clenched and unclenched in his lap. "He was dying, Vala," he whispered finally. "Carolyn could tell you…there wasn't any question about that." He heard the short sob and winced. "Vala, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to have to tell you that."

He glanced up again, and she was looking at him in confusion through damp eyes. "What do you mean? I appreciate the honesty, but…why now?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, it's…complicated. I don't really, uhm, know why. I don't understand it either—"

"Understand what?"

Jack blew out the breath and took her hands comfortingly. "Vala, no one could have survived that crash. The ship went up in flames the moment in hit the ground, but…Anise and Freya…just me that the Tok'ra have operatives inside the GC still, with fake marks or something, or at least one. I'm not sure, but…they said that one of their people…saw him…in one of the smaller GC outposts recently…"

Her hands tightened around his and she stared at him, bug-eyed. "What? How is that possible?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the Tok'ra are sure it's Daniel. They're sure he's alive somehow."

Vala's breathing quickened for a moment, and a sudden smile flashed over her features before it disappeared again. "Then—oh! Oh no…" Sudden dreadful understanding creased her face, and the tears returned. "But…but even if he is, if everything you've said is true, then he—"

"I'm sorry, Vala." He knew it was barely audible that time, but there was nothing he could do about it—not with the log stuck in his throat.

Vala sat and quietly cried in confliction, letting out the same emotions Jack himself was bottling. He hated doing nothing, didn't want to just do nothing…but she kept tight hold of his hand, anchoring him where he was and preventing him from pulling her into a comforting embrace.

He wasn't sure that would have done much good anyway.

"We'll leave as soon as we can," he said finally, softly. "We have to try to get him back, before…"

Vala nodded silently, calm now. "I'm coming."

"No you're not. Not like that. We'll get back as fast as we can." He gave her fingers a brief squeeze. "I promise." He went to stand, but then thought twice and sat again.

"I have to go meet the others…we have to figure out who is going, how to do this…the Tok'ra have the intel on the facility. Apparently is just a small seized building—nothing fancy, not a lot of security. Anyway…will you be all right in here, or is there somewhere I can take you first? Jacek's place…?"

She shook her head slowly, and Jack jumped up and put out and arm to help her when she started to stand. "No. I want to at least be there for the planning process."

Jack sighed and nodded. "Okay. That you can do."

* * *

The 'gate tech poked his head into Woolsey's office. "Sir, there's an important transmission for you from one of the farther outposts. They request that you review it immediately and send it on to His Excellency ASAP, if necessary."

Richard nodded. "Send it to my computer."

"Yes, sir." The other man bowed out and shut the door again, and Woolsey turn to his computer screen and opened the file that popped up a moment later. The text began with the standard headers and opening of a formal GC top-priority transmission, but what it asked of him wasn't something he had seen before.

It was the first report he had seen that mentioned the possible capture of one of the escaped SGC employees from Earth.

_Possible_?

He kept reading, and realized that no one out there would recognize any of the believers that had escaped Earth. It said as much, in more professional words. Apparently the subject had been 'questioned' for nearly two weeks, and GC personnel had not garnered so much as a name from the middle-aged man, but his clothing clearly suggested Earth origins. Visual files were attached. Could the subject be identified?

Woolsey clicked on the first picture link, suddenly deciding that since it would probably be one of the obscure SGC employees he wouldn't recognize anyway, he would delete the file and inform the 'gate tech that the transmission had not been so important after all. Perhaps he was not exactly a believer himself, but he didn't think he could betray them. They had left Earth for a reason, and he was understanding more and more recently what that reason was.

The image was too high a resolution—probably taken with a camera from Earth—and was too large when it came up. At first Richard could only see large sections of brown, black, gray, and green.

In no way was he expecting what he saw when he clicked the image back down to understandable size.

The first thing he saw was the blood. There wasn't and overabundance of it, but it splattered the man's battered BDUs in small uneven splotches. It was clear he had been beaten, even if the wounds weren't visible but for a few bruises on his face. Woolsey had heard the rumors, that the GC did not control what their troops did to the prisoners…that it was even worse outside of Earth. He hadn't known it was really this bad.

Then he really saw the face, and he his eyes were bulging out behind his squarish glasses. _No…no, it can't be. _

The man in the image was Daniel Jackson. Much the worse for wear and with a few gray hairs now, but it was Jackson, all right. _Oh my god…God. God, help him._ The prayer was out before he could really think, and then he realized it felt right to do.

Richard quickly deleted the few picture files from the message, and called out to the 'gate tech to delete any other copies of the transmission. It wasn't so important after all, he said. The airman looked a little skeptical, but he didn't argue. Woolsey retreated to his desk again in relief, deciding that he would send a reply along the same lines in a day or so. No, the subject could not be identified…not for them, anyway.

He was praying again almost before he consciously decided to. _God, if that's what they're doing to people who follow you...if they're really so hypocritical…I can't condone that. I can't help the GC anymore…_

And then he was praying the prayer he remembered being told about as a boy—the one Jake had reminded him of just days before. _Help me know what I can do. Where I am now…maybe I can do some good_, he added at the end.

Richard Woolsey went back to work born again.

* * *

Carolyn and the rest of the board were waiting in the meeting room when Vala followed Jack there, and Anise/Freya stood quietly among them. Sam, pink-eyed and red-faced, came to Vala immediately and folded her into a tight embrace. It was a long moment before anyone said anything, with Carolyn and Jack looking appropriately guilty for the secret they had kept—not that she was glad to some extent that they hadn't told her before…

She couldn't have taken this much before.

Daniel was alive…but dying? No matter what they did…Vala choked back a sob, and Sam kept an arm gently around her shoulders as Jack broke the silence.

"What have you got?" he asked finally.

Anise was the one to launch into a detailed explanation of the small facility where Daniel was being held, and the lot of them shoved their emotions aside to plan strategy.

In the end, though they wanted speed, it was clear that they easiest way to get him out was to go by ship and simply storm the place. The Tok'ra were not willing to compromise their operative yet; there would be no help from the inside, but the building was small and sparsely manned enough that it shouldn't be a problem.

Vala was still nervously chewing a nail when the planning slowly shifted into prayer. They were going to leave tonight. They could sleep on the ship, and be rested enough by morning when they arrived. Everyone in this room was going but for her, Landry, and Hammond. Even Simon insisted on helping. They would take a small team of other volunteers, and prepare for departure immediately.

"Keeps them, safe, Lord," George Hammond prayed. "Bring them_ all_ home."

* * *

The building was small, all right, Sam thought—just a simple, single-story stone structure on the edge of the village, near the stargate. They'd Jar'en and Anise/Freya on the cloaked cargo ship behind the trees near the 'gate to watch it, and crept closer to the GC outpost through the brush. There were only two Peacekeepers out back, pacing some kind of perimeter at the edge of the ring of roughly cut grass around the building. It was easy enough to zat them and drag them into the bushes.

A back door led into a narrow stone corridor, where another easily-dispatched guard stood. Apparently the Peacekeepers were looking for obvious threats—a fight. They were expecting anyone that came at them to want to completely take over the base, or that anyone who came to free prisoners would be overly violent as GC propaganda taught that the 'Judah-ites,' the believers, were.

Simon and Jennifer Hailey stayed to cover the back door, and the others moved on into the facility, though Sam was anxious about leaving her husband behind. He'd been out with them a few times, but never for anything like this. Still…staying at the door was probably safer than coming in, and he was certainly safe with Hailey.

In this corridor were a few wood-and-bar doors that led to what seemed to be private cells. Only one of them was occupied, but though it wasn't anyone they knew, it _was_ a fellow believer.

"Thank you, thank you," the lanky redheaded man said profusely, after Jack had zatted the lock to let him out. "There are others here, in the other corridor…" He trailed off as another noise interrupted him.

It was screaming.

Sam sucked in a breath, O'Neill's face went stony, and Erin Satterfield's eyes went wide as the others looked in the direction of the sound apprehensively.

"I assume they're that way," Jack said tersely.

The freed man nodded mutely, apologetically. Sam held out an extra zat to him, and he took it gladly and followed the Earth as they skulked over to a turn in the corridor.

"There will be two guards outside the door to the cell block," the new man whispered. Jack nodded, and Sam quickly moved up beside him, signaling that she would take out one while he took the other. Seconds later they moved in unison, jerking around the corner and stunning the two Peacekeepers there before they could turn to look.

The screaming was coming distantly from the other side of the door. It paused briefly as Sam approached, and the exhausted moan that choked out before the screaming began again froze her in mid-step. She knew that voice. Her wide eyes locked with O'Neill's and Carolyn's, and she knew they knew.

Oh Lord, it was Daniel…

Jack's jaw locked, and he waved her to the other side of the door. The rest of them took up formation for entry.

When they burst in her eyes immediately counted the four Peacekeepers on the other end of short corridor of open-barred cells. They were clustered in one of the cells there, surrounding a barely-visible figure clad in dirty green and black.

The screaming stopped, and a Goa'uld torture stick clattered to the ground as one of the GC officers dropped immediately from a zat blast. Another fell as he tried to pull a weapon. Sam, Jack, Carolyn, Reynolds, Satterfield, and the new man with them fanned out, firing, as the two Peacekeepers still standing ducked and rolled. One came up with a zat and the other with a pistol.

Sam fired one zat blast after another, suddenly not caring if she accidently hit one of the Peacekeepers twice, and wishing for a good-old P-90. They fired faster. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Daniel better now, hanging by his wrists from chains in the ceiling. He wasn't moving now—if he was even conscious. If he was even—

And the fury fueled her shots. She tagged one of them, finally, and Carolyn dropped the last one. Behind her she heard Reynolds and the others taking care of a few that had coming in behind them when they heard the firefight. In moments the building was silent.

A soft groan from Daniel's direction told her he was alive, and the fact hit her again. Daniel was _alive_…at least for a little while longer.

Her throat clogging, Sam checked to make sure that someone was covering the door, saw that Reynolds was, then shoved her zat back into its holster and rushed to him. Jack arrived at the same time and immediately began working on the chains.

Daniel flinched back from the proximity.

"Easy, Danny, it's okay. It's us," Jack said quietly as he worked, looking for a way to unclasp the manacles clamping his wrists up.

Sam didn't want to hurt him, but she loosely looped her arms around him for just a moment even though he wasn't down yet. She couldn't wait. "Daniel…" She couldn't say anything else. It was enough to see him alive.

Carolyn was already checking him over, and Erin Satterfield was helping the man they'd freed hold Daniel up to keep his weight off of his wrists until they could get the chains off of him.

"What's your name?" Sam asked.

"Deref."

Erin was swallowing convulsively. "Will he be all right?" It was an automatic question, in response to the obvious wounds. She knew what Jack and Carolyn had told them. They all did. Satterfield's now-damp eyes didn't help Sam in her attempt not to think about it.

"S-am…? Jack?"

"We're right here, Daniel," she answered quickly. "Shhh…just hang on. We'll have you out of here soon."

"Didn't think…you'd know I was here," he gasped anyway. His voice was barely a whisper, pushed out past a clenched jaw and eyes tightly shut. "Thought I wouldn't see any of you again…not this side of heaven." It came out as a thankful cry, and Sam gently hugged him again.

"Got it," Jack warned. He snapped open the cuffs, and Daniel came down in her arms. Deref and Erin still held him up on the sides, but after his arms dropped he pulled them up again to return the embrace as tightly as he was probably capable of. Sam felt his right hand spread out and press into her back, but of the other she only felt him holding on loosely with his forearm. His face pushed into her shoulder in a hiss of pain, and she wondered if his left hand were hurt.

Suddenly the hiss was a shout, and she realized it had to be more than that.

O'Neill was at his back already, near his ear. "What's wrong!"

"Leg!" he barked almost incoherently, crying in pain.

"It was broken!" Deref yelped. "The left one—I am sorry, I should have mentioned it, I—"

Carolyn took over. "I would say lay him down, but we have to get out of here. You'll have to pick him up enough that his legs aren't dragging the ground."

"Erin, you're too short," Sam said apologetically. She moved in opposite Deref, and with Jack's help they managed to hike Daniel up enough on their shoulders to carry him. It was hard to decide if she was thankful that he passed out before they started moving.

Weapons fire out in the corridor stirred them to move more quickly, and Carolyn and Reynolds rushed out ahead to see to the problem. Just before the firing stopped, a brief shout from down the corridor set Sam's heart pounding until they rounded the corner and she saw Simon.

He was on the ground by the back door, clutching a bloody shoulder. There were three more unconscious Peacekeepers on the ground than there had been before.

"Simon!"

"I'm fine!" he called faintly. "It looks worse than it is…" Hailey had already yanked the jacket off of a Peacekeeper to press over the wound. She picked his hand up and put it back over the balled jacket she pushed there. He grimaced, and she began to help him up.

"Jennifer…"

"They came out of nowhere," she explained apologetically.

The team made it back to the ship without incident, and Sam helped Deref Jack carefully lower Daniel to the floor in the cockpit of the cargo ship. Jar'en shut the door behind them all, and Anise took off immediately. Jack stayed with Daniel, and Sam went to her husband. Hailey had lowered him just inside the door, and he sat against the wall now.

"How bad is it?" she asked anxiously, wanting to know the truth this time.

Simon blinked a few times. "I…well, I can't say I've had worse, but…I'm sure Doctor Lam knows what she's doing. Ahh…"

Carolyn started to head for him to see to the bullet wound, but he waved her off.

"At least make sure he's all right, first," he insisted, eyes flickering to Jackson.

"I've looked at him. There's really not much else I can do right now," the doctor sighed. "Sam, help me get him up; we'll need to go in the back. I have to get that bullet out…"

Sam sighed and nodded, and cast one long glance in Daniel's direction as she helped lever Simon to his feet. He seemed to be resting now, breathing enough…maybe it really wasn't so bad. Maybe they had been wrong…She could only hope. Otherwise he would die, and she wasn't sure she could handle that again.

* * *

When Daniel woke he felt the tears behind his eyelids. He'd dreamed that his friends had come for him. He'd seen Jack, Sam, Carolyn…even Deref and Erin Satterfield and Reynolds. But that was impossible. Deref didn't know his friends, and no one knew he was alive, much less where to look for him. They couldn't have come; at least he'd seen them again…

He wasn't going to tell the GC anything, and he was sure they would kill him next time they came.

Slowly he took stock. The cuts and bruises ached, stung…his leg was throbbing as usually, still only half healed. It hadn't really made any progress from what Deref had been allowed to do, not as often as they pull him up and down, pushed him around…Without a splint it only made the damage worse. His left hand joined the bash now, and Daniel grimaced again just remembering how Thugs 1 & 4 had enjoyed breaking all four fingers. They'd used the torture stick in between, and they hadn't gotten to his thumb yet when…

Wait. Was that when he'd lost consciousness? It must have been, because that was when the dream started. That was when Jack and Sam and the others had burst through the door, in his wishful imagination…

He groaned and shifted a little, and suddenly he realized that something was draped over him. A blanket. What? Daniel moved a little more, and suddenly awareness snapped into place. His leg and hand didn't hurt as much as they had. Something hard and cools pressed against the leg from both sides, and he realized that both his fingers and the leg had been set and splinted in some kind of makeshift way. Something was balled up under his head as a pillow.

No. No, it was a dream. It had to be. Daniel clenched his eyes shut even tighter, willing it all to go away, not wanting to open eyes and dream the friends he would never really see again in this life. He wanted to wake up, see Fancy Patches and the others coming for him, get this over with and see his parents again…wait for Vala without the pain here.

"Daniel? You there, buddy? It's me."

Jack?

A hand on his shoulder rubbed a little, coaxing him from sleep. Daniel resisted at first. It wasn't real, it wasn't real...He didn't know he'd let a whimper past his lips until the voice reacted to it.

"Danny, it's okay...you're safe. It's over."

Over? He wanted it to be over. Just let it be over.

"Come on, Daniel. We need you. Vala's at home waiting for you. Come on…"

Against his better judgment Daniel opened his eyes and blinked blearily up at his friend. His glasses were still gone, but still he could tell that even though Jack was smiling a little, his eyes were damp. But why would Jack be upset?

Oh.

That was when he realized that if this was a dream, there would be no problems. Jack would be happy. He wouldn't still think that Daniel was dying.

"Jack…"

"Hey," O'Neill smiled. "How, uh…how you doing?" The older man cleared his throat more than one, covering the breaks in his voice. The expression on his face that slipped out anyway sliced into Daniel worse than any knife.

He cleared his own throat so he could talk around the dryness. "I'm fine," he said quickly. Jack grimaced and opened his mouth to protest. "No, really," Daniel insisted weakly. "I…I know what happened. I know what was wrong with me, but—"

"_Was_?"

He nodded confidently. "It's gone, Jack, I-I died…in that crash. I was gone, just for a moment. He…God told me it wasn't time yet. He sent me back."

Jack stared at his incredulously. "You mean your chest is okay?"

"Yes…I'll be fine," Daniel sighed in relief. It was real. It was all real. He was going home. He almost choked on the relief.

Jack all but collapsed against the wall that was just behind him, disbelief quickly becoming joy. He grinned—but only for a moment, before his face fell.

"What?"

"You were still right, though. You had to die…for it to go away for good. I'm just, I'm kind of ticked off that the glowy freaks got what they wanted anyway. Maybe you came back again, but they got what they wanted. They killed you."

"The crash killed me."

Jack's fists balled up tightly at his sides where he sat beside his friend. "It doesn't matter," he said tightly. "You wouldn't have felt forced to take that mission if they hadn't done that to you. We wouldn't have had to go through this if it weren't for them. We thought you were _gone_, Daniel. We had a _memorial service_ for crying out loud," he grated out.

"Easy, Jack…it's not the first time," Daniel smiled, just a little.

"But it's the last time. You're not going to do that to us again, you hear me? In two years, give or take, we won't have to worry about anything like that anymore. You can go that long without dying again, can't you?"

He decided that keeping Jack from going crazy was a little more important right now than being accurate. "Sure."

"Good. Great. So…how _are _you feeling?"

Daniel snorted. "Better than I was." He pulled his left hand out from under the blanket a bit. "Apparently Carolyn saw to me."

"Yeah. She didn't know what else to do, besides that. We all thought…" _We all thought you were going to die anyway, no matter what we did. _"They need to know you're okay," Jack said quickly, looking up toward the back of the ship, conflicted between going and staying.

"Go on, Jack," Daniel chuckled. "You tell them. I know you want to."

O'Neill squeezed his shoulder and stood. "I'll be right back."

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for coming for me anyway," he said quietly. _Even though you didn't know if I'd be alive when you got there; even though you didn't know if there would be any point at all. _

Jack looked at him for a long, thoughtful moment. "Of course we came."


	72. Return

Here ya go. Hope you enjoy this chapter; will be moving forward in time finally after this, lol. Got two more years to cover of the Tribulation. Anyway, please review, and have great day! :)

Chapter 72

Daniel wasn't going to die. Simon was going to be all right; the bullet had come out all right, and it turned out that it really hadn't gone very deep. Both men were sleeping now, and Sam was resting against the wall near her husband. She was too exhausted with relief to do much else. For now, everything was fine.

Simon stirred, and she leaned closer as his eyes flickered open again for the first time in a few hours.

"Hey," she smiled. "Welcome back. We're almost home…how are you feeling?"

He found her hand with his good arm and gave her fingers a squeeze. "I'll be all right. How is Daniel?"

Sam grinned. "He's going to be just fine."

Simon blinked in confusion. "He is?"

"God worked a miracle for us when Daniel's ship went down. It's how he survived it…why he's going to live."

"The problem is gone?"

She nodded and bent to kiss him. "And you'll be fine, too." When she pulled back from the kiss, he was studying her fondly.

"So it wasn't anyone…this time."

"No," she sighed. "Not this time."

* * *

Jacek and Adria were trying to distract her. Vala still had enough presence of mind to recognize that. At first she didn't want to be distracted. She paced her quarters—as much as she could as pregnant as she was—and the two of them hovered around her, trying to get her started talking about _something. _

"You said something about a story…something you wanted to tell us. It was last week, but then we got off track. What were you going to say, dear?" Adria questioned.

Finally she gave in. She supposed they should know, anyway. Vala sighed and sank into a chair at the table. "It's complicated…but you were right: I _have_ had a baby before."

Jacek was more surprised than Adria was. "W-what? You mean I was a grandfather and you didn't tell me?"

Vala winced. "No, it's…like I said; it's more complicated than that. You're not exactly a grandfather. Not at all, really."

"What do you mean?" Adria asked.

"Not _exactly_?"

She ignored the questions. "Do you remember the Orici? The woman who lead the Ori armies? Their figurehead.?"

"I saw her once," Adria nodded. "She was giving an address to a village. When I heard what she had to say…well, I was glad I was only passing through. I don't understand how someone so young can be so ruthless."

Jacek shrugged. "Yeah…so I heard. I never saw her. Whatever happened to her anyway? No, don't answer that. What does this have to do with—"

"She was my daughter."

Adria frowned, baffled. "What?"

"That's impossible."

Vala shook her head wearily. "No, unfortunately it's not. The Ori used me, impregnated me against my will. There was no father, and the baby was fully grown within two days."

The confusion became shock in Jacek's voice. "You're not kidding, are you?"

"No." her head shook, but she said nothing else. She took the time to swallow hard and gather herself.

"But…why you?" Adria asked gently.

"Because I was the only human woman from this galaxy to ever venture into theirs. It was an accident, of course, but I was transported there anyway. It was the perfect opportunity for them to get one of their own into this galaxy. Don't ask me to explain all of that, either. It would take too long."

Adria was by her chair now, with an arm around her shoulders. "What happened to her?"

"She died," Vala whispered. "She couldn't be dissuaded. She had to be destroyed like the rest of the Ori."

Jacek's incredulous voice came from the shadow above that she wouldn't look at. "Vala, I'm sorry. We didn't know…"

She brushed away the tears before either of them knew they were there. "I know, it's all right. It was a long time ago now. There's nothing you can do about it. It doesn't matter…she wasn't really my daughter. She only took my DNA so she could be human enough to not alert the Ancients."

"Well...I'm glad you told us."

Vala shrugged.

Adria leaned closer and really hugged her. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine…I'm so sorry."

"I just…thought you should know—if we're going with this honesty thing, that's all. I just wanted you to know."

Jacek sighed heavily. "Vala…"

But that was when Siler burst through the curtain. "They're coming in! They radioed ahead; they've got him. They'll be landing in a few minutes."

Vala stood immediately, her relief to avoid any further discussion of her daughter quickly forgotten in the sudden apprehension. Daniel was coming, but…

She stopped there. She didn't want to think about the rest. For now she had to focus on the fact that he was still alive _now_. She was going to see him again, soon. "Come on." She followed Siler out and toward the hangar, leaving her father and Adria to trail behind. _Daniel…_

She had to move more slowly recently, and by the time they got to the hanger Siler was already on his radio, telling them that the ship was coming in any minute. When the door opened and the cargo ship came into view, Vala's throat clogged. _No no no, can't do that. No matter what happens later, it's _good_ that he's coming home. I can't cry now. I don't want him to see me cry. Not now. _

The baby was already kicking, maybe in response to her pounding heart. Her hands slid over her belly, as if it might soothe the child inside. _It's all right. Daddy's coming home…at least for a while. _She tried to hold back the sob, but it burst out anyway, and then Jacek had an arm around her, pulling her tight to side.

* * *

"Jack, help me up."

Carolyn raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so, Daniel. You're coming out of here on a stretcher."

Daniel, who was already sitting up against the wall, gave her an exasperated look. "It's really not that bad…I'm only asking to walk off the ship, not necessarily all the way to the infirmary."

"But—"

"Will it look very convincing trying to tell Vala I'm okay if I'm flat on my back?"

Jack shrugged. "He has a point, doc."

"Fine, but it's into bed with you the moment I say so, and you are not getting out of the infirmary early—you either," Carolyn said, looking pointedly over at Simon in his own spot against the wall.

Sam smirked, and Simon shrugged with his good shoulder. "As the lady wishes."

Jar'en chuckled and pulled Carolyn in by one arm. "Yes, my dear. As you wish."

"Good," she nodded in satisfaction, and then let her jaffa kiss her cheek.

Anise completed the landing, and the hangar door closed behind them Daniel looked to Jack again, and O'Neill moved to help him up. "All right; time to go." Reynolds came to help, and Sam helped her husband up. It took a little to get both of them standing, but it was accomplished. Daniel ignored the pain in his leg, the soreness everywhere. He could do this. He just needed Vala to know that he would be all right.

"You okay?"

Daniel glanced at Jack, just realizing then that in his concentration on not yelling he'd forgotten to keep his face straight. "Yeah, uhm…yeah, I'm fine." No, not at all, really. Deref hadn't really been allowed to do much at all to help the broken leg and destroyed knee, and the crude split Carolyn had been able to make on the ship didn't help much either. At least he wouldn't really be walking on it.

He was grateful; that the doors of cargo ships opened quickly, and didn't require any fancy ramps. Jack and Reynolds all but carried him to the door ahead of everyone else, and then it just opened, and there they were.

There she was.

As his friends helped him out of the ship, Vala was sandwiched between Jacek and Adria, and Siler was there. Vala immediately pulled forward away from the rest of them, and he was sure she was even bigger than she'd been two weeks ago. This was why he'd held on; this was why he'd survived. He was sure it was why God had let him come home—for Vala and this baby.

"Daniel!" She came at them quickly, and Daniel pushed away from Jack and Reynolds, supported himself on his good leg and let her run into him. He barely managed not to topple over, but the pain the worth it.

"Daniel, Daniel…" Vala was already crying into his shoulder, and he didn't know what to do but hold her.

That was fine, he couldn't think of anything else he'd rather be doing more. "Vala, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to go through that again. I'm sorry."

"I'm just glad you're _home_!" she said fiercely. Then she was kissing him, and Daniel decided that the rest of the good news good wait a few more seconds. If this was what he got when she still thought he was dying, he couldn't wait to see what happened when she heard he was going to be fine.

"I love you," she told him after a moment, finally coming up for air.

"I love you too," he smiled. "God saved me first, but you're a lot of what kept me alive back there."

She smiled sheepishly before she registered his first words. "What do you mean saved you?"

"From the crash. He let me live, He fixed the problem, Vala…" He grinned and let his forehead press into hers. "I'm going to be fine."

She gaped at first. "What…? You mean…you mean _fine_ fine? You're fine?

"I'm fine."

That was when the tears that had been fighting for freedom won their battle. "Daniel…" She choked and hugged him again, and Daniel didn't mind the sob of his own that escaped. And he'd been right…the next kiss was better.

When he could breathe again Daniel smiled down at her belly between them. "I didn't miss it," he said happily.

"No, you didn't."

Something thumped against him, and he looked down again in wonder. "Was that him?"

Vala winced just a little, and laughed as she rubbed at her stomach. "That was him—or her."

"Not having ultrasounds out here is getting aggravating…"

"Does it matter what it is?"

"No. I'll be thrilled either way—just that I can be there," Daniel sighed in contentment. "I love you," he said again earnestly.

Vala's damp eyes shone. "I love you too."

* * *

A team from the infirmary arrived in the hanger not long after the ship arrived, and both Daniel and Simon were carefully helped onto stretchers and brought back there. Vala and Samantha stayed with their husbands, both of which fell asleep after being given good doses of morphine. Sam stayed for a while before having to leave to attend to other duties, but Vala had no reason to leave. She was about to settle onto the next bed for a nap when a decently handsome red-haired man she'd never seen before wondered into the infirmary, a believer.

At least, she thought she'd never seen him before. No…he was familiar somehow. He seemed to have found what he was looking for when he spotted her, and he approached quietly.

"Are you Vala?" he asked.

"Yes…and you are?"

"Deref. I am sorry, I'm here because I was rescued along with your husband," he said, nodding to Daniel. We were the only prisoners there at the time. I had come to know him some." He motioned to the mark on his forehead. This is in part thanks to him."

"Oh." Vala smiled now. "That's my Daniel. I suppose he mentioned me, since you know my name."

Deref smiled in return. "Yes, he spoke much about you—highly of you. I can tell that he loves you very much. I am please that you have found such a fulfilling life your days and host to Ketesh."

Her eyebrows went up. "How did you know about that?"

"Ah…I am sorry, but you may not remember me. We have never officially met, but I was a host as well."

Vala looked at him for a moment, and her eyes went wide as it suddenly dawned on her why he looked so familiar. "Ketesh's general! _That_ was you."

"Yes. As I said, we have not really met, but—"

"We've certainly seen enough of each other in the past," she marveled. "What a coincidence_ that_ is."

Deref shrugged. "Your husband says he no longer believes in coincidences. I am beginning to believe the same. For instance, you cannot use a healing device now because it would put the child at risk, but now, when one could certainly be used, I am brought here."

She blinked at him. "That's right. We have one; it would be great if you could help Daniel and Simon. It would take weeks for them to heal on their own."

"I would be more than welcome to help. Perhaps in the morning, when they are rested. I could return then."

"That would be wonderful," Vala smiled. She held out a hand then. "It was good to meet you, Deref."

He shook her hand briefly. "The pleasure was all mine, Mrs. Jackson."

"Don't forget to let Carolyn know you'll be coming in the morning."

"That is the young woman doctor that was on the ship, yes?"

"Correct."

Deref nodded and left, and Vala sat down again on the bed beside Daniel's—a little overwhelmed. Of all the people to run into. But he'd been right about the healing device…it could be purely a coincidence.

God provided.

Vala smiled to herself and rubbed a hand over her round middle. He had given her her husband back. That was more than she could have asked for already.

_Thank you._

* * *

Vala was there when Daniel woke up, and he couldn't remember being happier in a while. Deref was already there with the healing device from storage, working on Simon's shoulder. Sam waved from beside her husband's bed.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Vala leaned over to kiss him, and then helped him sit up. "Just don't get used to it. You're next in the fix-it line, and soon_ I'll_ be the one stuck in bed."

Daniel chuckled and tugged her down to sit beside him. "And because of the reason, I can't wait, either." It was Carolyn clearing her throat that brought them up that time.

"Your turn," she told him cheerily. "It seems Deref really knows what he's doing; Simon's shoulder will be sore for a while, but other than that it's good as new."

Deref shrugged as he came up from the other side. "These hand-held devices are not a perfect science."

"They work well enough," Simon said in amazement as he stood, slowly working the shoulder. He winced, but it didn't stop the grin. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Why do you think I brought you out here?" Sam teased. "Your face is just too cute when you see all this strange alien stuff."

"That was a compliment, right?"

Sam just laughed. Simon acted as if he was going to leave with her. But Carolyn waved him back onto the bed.

"Oh noo you don't. You're staying here at least for another few hours, for observation."

Deref chuckled and turned back to Daniel and Vala. "Well, let's see what we can do, shall we?"

The leg was already in a better splint, with the leg of the scrub pants rolled up past it. All Vala had to do was throw the blanket off of it. Daniel could have done that much, but unfortunately Vala already knew about the generous bruising covering his chest and stomach area. She wouldn't let him bend over to do it.

Deref apologized ahead of time. "This was a serious injury, and as I warned Mr. Dockett, this may be slightly unpleasant. Also…your injury stood much longer than his, and there was already damage from previous wounds. As I said, these hand-held devices do not work nearly as well as a sarcophagus…"

"Yeah…so I've heard." That was why he'd had to let go, so many years ago, when he lay dying of radiation poisoning. Jacob and Selmak could have kept him alive, using only the hand healing device they had, but he never would have been healthy again.

"Just do what you can," Vala told him. She looked at Daniel, and he nodded. That was all they could ask for. The rest would either heal, or it wouldn't.

"Very well." Deref smiled encouragingly. "I will do my best."

Daniel determined to stay positive. He was alive, there were no other serious injuries, and he would be fine. As long as the leg healed enough that he could walk he would be fine, right? That was all he needed. Everything would be fixed in heaven, anyway…though they weren't sure about the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on Earth that came before that.

No one was sure just what that would be like.

But when Deref stopped, he looked frustrated.

"Is something wrong?" Daniel asked.

He sighed. "Well…the scar tissue is still causing problems, and now there is more of it developing, of course. I have patched the bones together again, but I cannot do much more and I am not sure how much more healing it can do on its own like that…your doctor would know." He waved Carolyn over quickly, and she came with eyebrows up.

"How's it going over here?"

"I am not sure," Deref admitted. "I think I have done all I can."

She nodded. "Okay…let's take a look." Carefully she removed the splint, and Daniel could feel through the slight tug that the bones really were mended. The movement still hurt though—not nearly as much as before, but he couldn't help wincing.

"Daniel?" Vala asked in concern. She was still sitting beside him on the bed, and she took his hand. He smiled at her. "I'm fine. It's a lot better than it was."

"Yes, that much is true," Carolyn commented as she gently examined the leg. "Everything's in its place, I think…can you move it yourself?"

Daniel pulled it back slowly on the bed, bending the knee up. It was stiff and very sore, but it moved. He picked it up off the mattress a little and immediately put it down again when the strain on his knee hurt too much. But even that much movement seemed to thrill Carolyn a little more than it should have, and for some reason it didn't make him feel any better.

"And you've done everything the healing device will let you do?" she asked.

Deref nodded. "For the most part. I could patch a bit more, but it would not make much difference."

"All right, why don't you come back tomorrow then? Until Vala's had the baby and is back on her feet I could always use someone else around here anyway—especially someone who can use that thing."

"Very well. I am glad to be of service," the redhead smiled, though it was apologetic.

"Thank you, Deref. You've done a lot for me in the past week or so. I appreciate it a lot," Daniel told him.

"You are welcome," Deref sighed. "But I believe you have done more for me."

"Don't mention it, now go on. Get out of here," he encouraged.

The former host nodded and left, and Carolyn watched until he was gone before pulling the curtain around the bed. They were lucky to have a few curtains. They were freestanding, not in a tread on the ceiling like back at the SGC, but they did the job.

Daniel felt Vala's hand squeeze his a little more tightly. "What's going on?"

Carolyn held up a hand. "Nothing horrible. Daniel is still going to be fine; in fact, better than I thought at first."

Daniel sighed. "I feel a 'but' coming."

"Yes…there is a little bit of a 'but.'"

"Like what?" Vala questioned.

Now Carolyn sighed. "Look, to be honest, when I first saw that leg this time, I didn't think it would ever really be able to heal very well. In all truth, if Deref hadn't been here to do what he just did, you never would have walked again—not without a full set of crutches. It was that bad."

"Ouch," he winced. "So what about now?"

"Now I'm thinking in several weeks you'll be able to pull it off just fine with a walking stick—nothing too obvious or intrusive, but…I'm sorry, but you probably still won't be able to put all of your weight on it again. That's a whole lot better than none though."

"Oh…" The knot in his stomach eased some, but Vala was sputtering a little, and Carolyn must have seen the next question in their faces.

"Don't worry; you'll still be doing plenty of horsing around on the floor with the kids, just in moderation. I think if you're careful, you'll be fine." She patted his good leg. "Like I said: nothing horrible, see? Everything's going to be fine. It'll take a little time, but it'll be fine."

Vala let out a pent up breath and hugged him from the side, and Daniel relaxed against her when he realized he'd gone tense. "Right…of course. It'll be fine."

It was all about trusting, anyway, right? So he would trust that God knew what He was doing here. This time Daniel wasn't going to let himself get caught up in the worrying…How could he, when God had already brought him back home again?

* * *

Jar'en was waiting for Carolyn outside her room off the infirmary by the time she finally decided to call it a morning. She'd been up all night keeping an eye on her two latest patients, in too much of an OCD mood to let the rest of her small medical staff look after them until Deref came in the morning.

Now Simon was fine and had finally been released, and Daniel was resting again. She'd done a quick check-up on Vala, just in case—to make sure the stress wasn't causing any problems with the baby. She was fine, and Carolyn could finally let herself take a break.

"Are you finally going to sleep?" Ja'ren asked wryly, when he saw her coming.

She sighed when she reached him, and let her head drop against his chest as he hugged her. "Yeah…I really should."

"Things are going well?"

"Mostly—but that's good."

He nodded slowly. "I see…Ah…May I steal a few moments before you rest?" His expression was suddenly anxious, his blond hair falling into his eyes unnoticed.

"Of course…"

"Good." He pulled her through her curtain into the room. He held both of her hands and pulled her close.

"What is it?" she asked, of the intense look in his eyes.

Jar'en sighed. "I do not like it when you leave the compound."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm fine."

"Yes, this time—but others are not."

"Jar'en, you're a jaffa. You know what that's like," she protested. "This is no different. Something could _always_ happen."

He brought a hand up to her face, stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Yes, but before I was not in love." She couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks from her neck. "I could not stand to lose you now, with so little time left."

Carolyn cleared her throat in an attempt to re-gain her senses. "Well…if they need me out there, I have to go."

"I know," he said in frustration.

"So what are we going to do about?"

Now he smiled. "You have two options: Find some way to_ not _need to leave this safe house, ever, or marry me so that I will know you are mine no matter what happens to either of us."

She blinked at him for a moment, suddenly afraid she wouldn't be able to answer. Air stuck in her throat at first, and she had to pull hard to get it down. "I, uh…are those my only two options?"

"Do you not like either of them?" Jar'en's face fell.

"No, no! I—!"

Jar'en's face fell.

"That's not what I meant!" she said quickly. "I'll take option two any day."

"Oh! You had me worried for a moment," he chuckled. "I am sorry I don't have a ring…I believe that is the custom on your planet…?"

She shrugged. "What planet are any of us from these days? It doesn't matter."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes! Now if you're trying to do this right otherwise, would you commence with the next usual tradition?"

She'd known he had muscle in those arms, but she didn't expect it to seem so easy for him when he suddenly swept her up in his arms. Carolyn yelped in surprise, and her arms flew around his neck. "Wh—wow! Okay, that's not exactly what I meant."

"Is this what you meant?" With that, Jar'en leaned in to give her a kiss that made her head spin.

"Oh yeah," she said lightly. "That'll do."


	73. Kelana

Here ya'll go. :) Had a couple of big tests last week, sorry ya'll. Anyway, here ya go, and I hope you like it! Please do let me know; Thanks! :)

Chapter 73

The next night Carolyn let Daniel out of the infirmary, and he just made it back to their room with a set of crutches—because it wasn't just the leg he had to contend with, but the bruising that would take a few weeks to fully fade away.

Vala had to help him some, getting ready for bed, and she knew he hated that. "It's all right," she said gently.

He shrugged, and a groan slipped out as she helped him get the bad leg up into the bed. When he had it situated he lay back slowly, refusing to let the pain get to him enough to ask her for help just with that.

"You don't have to do that, you know."

"What?" he asked, out of breath.

"Not ask for help. Do everything on your own that you possibly can. Pretend you're not as badly injured as you are. You don't have to play it down on my account; I already know how bad it was—still is. There's your leg, and you've got healing ribs in there, and I know you must be sore just about everywhere. I _know_ that."

"I just don't want you to worry," he said quietly. "I'll be fine; I just have to finish healing."

Vala sighed and lay down beside him. She pushed his shirt up against a sudden verbal protest, winced to herself and lightly ran a hand over the blue-and-purple splotches that covered most of his torso. "Like I said, you don't have to do that. I know you'll be fine. Just let me indulge myself in making sure you're taken care of until you are. I'm right here, you know."

"I know." He sucked in a sharp breath and turned over to face her, pulling his shirt back down. "Thank you."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"We'll be fine," she went on. "You're back now, and you're mind, and we'll be all right."

"I guess it's a plus that you get along with Jacek and Adria now."

"Yes; one of the few good things to come of all this."

"Right…but at least good did come of it. I was fine when the ship was going down…but I had a hard time believing at first that there was any point to it when I woke up and the GC had me."

Vala kissed his cheek. "Then after that I suppose we have no excuse to question anything again, do we?"

* * *

Jack caught Gavin before they rounded the last corner near the Jacksons' quarters and turned the boy to face him. "Hey…remember what I said?"

"Yes, daddy," the boy sighed exaggeratedly. "I can't jump on Uncle Daniel anymore because his leg is hurt. I know, I know." He frowned a little. "Won't it be better?"

"Maybe not," O'Neill winced. "I'm not sure. Just take it easy on him, okay?"

Gavin nodded and smiled. "I will. I don't mind. I'm just glad God sent him back. I woulda missed him if He hadn't."

"Yeah. Me too."

Daniel was alone in the room that early afternoon, on the bed reading a book.

"Uncle Daniel!"

He looked up from the book. "Hey, Gavin!" he grinned. The boy ran halfway across the room and stopped, looked back at his father. Both Jack and Daniel looked at him questioningly, not knowing the reason for the stop.

"Daddy, he's not standin' up now, though. Does that mean I can jump on him a little now?"

Jack's mouth opened and closed in embarrassment. Great, just what Daniel needed to know. "Ahm…"

Daniel tried to hide it of course, but O'Neill saw the brief flash of annoyance there anyway. Instead of letting it linger he raised an eyebrow at his friend and then turned back to Gavin and held out his arms. "Get over here, silly."

The boy giggled and didn't waist time running to jump up into his 'uncle's lap. Daniel grimaced a little, but covered it expertly with a laugh and a hug. "You're getting big, you know that?"

"Yep!"

"Okay, let me up."

Gavin scrambled down, and Daniel pulled himself up on his good leg. Jack was across the room and handed him the crutches before he could reach them.

"Thanks…"

"Yeah. So, what's up? Where's Vala?"

"Oh, she's with Carolyn and Adria, along with Sam and some of the other women, I think—big evening today, and all that."

"Ah yes. Weddings. The excitement."

He smirked. "Yeah."

Gavin had already climbed up on the bed and picked up the book. Jack grinned. "Isn't that a little big for you, buddy?"

"Ah, let him look at it; it's just history. There might be a few words he can sound out, anyway."

"P-why-a-mid."

"Just not that one." Jack skewered him with an _Egypt again?_ look, and Daniel shrugged. "What?"

"Nothing. You amaze me." Gavin became absorbed in trying to sound out the words in the old book, so O'Neill lowered his voice and asked what had been on his mind. "So how are you doing?"

"With what?"

"You know…your leg and all. You okay?"

Daniel sighed. "Yeah, Jack, I'm fine. I guess my luck couldn't last forever."

"Hey, you're still here."

"True, and I'm grateful for that." He shifted and grimaced. "I just hope I can at least get rid of these crutches soon."

Jack nodded. "Didn't the doc say it'd be a few weeks?"

"Unfortunately, it's looking like it may be a little longer, and I'll still have to use _something_ after that" Daniel grumbled sullenly. He hesitated. "Just because I'm glad I'm alive doesn't mean part of me really, really doesn't like this," he admitted quietly.

"I know…it's a bummer, I know." O'Neill clapped him on the back—not as hard as usual, to avoid knocking him over. "But we're still gonna need you out there for some things. You're not land-locked by any means. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I can't get around much better than you can with these knees."

Daniel snorted. "At least you don't need help."

"Hey, that day's coming."

He sighed again, finally gave in a smiled a little. "Thanks for trying, Jack."

The sound of someone running down the corridor outside brought their attention to the door then, and less than a moment later an out-of-breath Erin Satterfield screeched to a halt outside the curtain and flung it open.

"Vala's water just broke!"

"What!" Daniel almost fell over right there. Jack caught his arm. "I thought we still had a week or something—"

O'Neill snapped into professional mode with ease. "Stuff happens, Danny-boy. You, Erin, can you take him?" He pointed to his son on the bed, and Satterfield nodded.

"I'll watch him. You go."

Gavin looked up now, wide-eyed. "Daddy?"

Daniel was already heading for the corridor as fast as he could on crutches, and Jack went to kiss his son on the forehead. "Everything fine, Gavin, but I need you to go with Miss Erin for a little while okay?"

"Okay."

Jack smiled at him, then turned and caught up to Daniel, took his arm and his arm and helped propel him out and down the corridor. "Just tell me if I'm going too fast."  
"Ow, no, this is fine. I'm fine. Ow. Yeah, fine," Daniel muttered back quickly.

"Take it easy, everything's fine. This is normal. Most people don't have babies on their due dates."

"I _know_ that, Jack."

"Then calm down," he ordered.

"I am calm!" Daniel snapped.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow. "Yeeeaaah. And I'm Dorothy."

Daniel only glared.

By the time they got to the infirmary Vala was already in a bed and quite obviously in the beginnings of labor—and trying to apologize for it between shouts.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do this—OW!—on the day of the weddings. I messed everything up! Ah! I'm sorry, maybe if we get this done you can still get back and get married, Carolyn. I'm sorry. OW!"

"Vala, honey, it's not your fault," Carolyn was telling her evenly. "This is not something you could control. Today's just a day we picked out of the air. We can get married any day. And I'm sorry, but this probably isn't something that's going to be finished this afternoon."

"Oh, that's just great…"

"Vala?" Daniel called.

"Daniel!"

Jack deposited him by her bed, and went in search of a chair so Daniel wouldn't have to stand with that leg the whole time. More than likely it was going to be a long night. Vala, meanwhile, grabbed the hand Daniel offered immediately.

"Oh thank goodness; there you are! Remind me why I wanted to do this again?" she gasped.

Poor Daniel had no answer to that.

Jack found the chair he was looking for, and set it by the head of the bed for his friend, but Daniel wasn't sitting down yet. He was still leaning over Vala.

"How are you doing?"

"What kind of a stupid question is that!"

Daniel paled and sputtered a little, and Jack wondered how _he_ was going to do with this. He wasn't worried about Vala; she'd done this before _without_ 21st century medical assistance.

Carolyn was already trying to clear the infirmary of extra people. "Okay, give them some space please. Everybody but Jacek and Daniel, go ahead and get moving. It's going to be a little while. I don't want anybody else back in here until we have a baby."

"Adria can stay too!" Vala called suddenly.

Daniel looked at her. She shrugged.

Adria came back through the curtain. "Are you certain?" she asked.

"Of course. This baby's going to call you grandmother, after all."

Jack smiled to himself and followed the others out.

* * *

It seemed like forever, but by morning…

It was a girl. Kelana LeAnn Jackson. Jacek and Adria knew the first name, but Carolyn didn't understand at all.

"Her mother," Daniel explained, nodding to his exhausted wife.

"And his grandmother," Vala sighed softly, smiling. "The one with the Bible."

It was maddening, waiting even the minute or two needed for Carolyn and the nurse to clean her off and wrap a blanket around her. Carolyn came toward him at first, but Daniel shook his head minutely. "Vala first," he said breathlessly, though his eyes never left…his daughter.

His daughter.

But Vala deserved to hold her first. She had done this twice now, and never once had she held her own child. Daniel swallowed hard as Carolyn carefully handed her the baby, and squeezed Vala's shoulders with the arm he had around her.

They both just stared at her for a moment, Vala grinning more brightly than he had seen in ages. It was perfect.

The girl blinked once or twice, but it was enough to see the bright blue eyes that looked out at them for a moment from under thin dark hair.

"I don't think it's black," Vala commented.

"Both of my parents had dark brown hair."

"Hmm…and she has your eyes, too," she pouted playfully.

He chuckled. "Maybe they'll fade and she'll have yours. You never know. Besides…she's already as beautiful as her mother. I love you."

"Awww," she grinned. "I love you too."

Adria fawned over the baby from beside Daniel, and from the other side of the bed Jacek leaned over to kiss his daughter's forehead. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. Wow…a grandpa." He laughed and even choked up a little. "Your mother would be proud of you, too."

"Jacek, where even _there _when I was born?"

"Of course I was."

Vala's eyebrows went up. "Oh, well, I'm impressed. I take back my previously planned smart remark." Jacek just grinned.

She turned back to Daniel and picked up the previous line of conversation. "I hope they don't fade though—her eyes. I like your color."

Daniel felt himself blushing as only Vala could make him. "Whatever."

She looked at him and smiled, but said nothing more. Her eyes were wet, and he thought it was only for the same reason that his were, too. Then she swallowed hard, looked down at the baby again, and he saw the tight look on her face.

He saw her jaw working and realized she was trying not to cry in front of Jacek and Adria and Carolyn. He squeezed her shoulder once and exchanged a glance with Carolyn, who didn't know the reason but understood his silent request immediately. In a second she was shooing the proud grandparents out through the curtain around the bed.

"Come on, let's go tell the others the baby's here. Go on. Let's give them some privacy." She glanced back at Daniel once before she let the curtain drop.

_You're a lifesaver,_ Daniel mouthed thankfully. She just shrugged, and glanced at Vala in concern. Daniel tried to convey that she should be fine, but he wasn't sure Carolyn got it. She sighed a left them alone.

There was a sudden squeak behind him from Vala's throat, when the curtain closed. When he turned around she was holding Kelana closer, by her face, rocking gently. Daniel went back to her side and had his arm back around her in an instant.

"It's okay…I know," he whispered.

She sobbed, and the tears came with it. "Adria," she moaned brokenly.

"It's okay." _Just cry. It's all right._ Daniel held her and the baby close as Vala sobbed. He'd known this was coming, someday. It had to happen eventually. It wasn't necessarily supposed to be now…but it was all right. It needed to happen.

And he found a lump in his throat, too. He knew some of the things she had to be thinking—things she might not have admitted to herself before. "I'm sorry," Daniel choked quietly.

"I'll never see her again," Vala cried. "She wasn't a believer…she thought _she_ was god. Oh, God….God, why?" she sobbed.

He just held on. Nothing he could say could make this better.

"Adria, I'm sorry. I'm _sorry_."

It took a moment for Daniel to realize that he was crying too. "Vala…"

But after another moment or so, she began to calm down. "I'm sorry," she gulped, and this time she was apologizing to him. "I should be happy. I _am_ happy." She kissed Kelana's head and finally smiled again when the baby burbled a sound back at her. "She's perfect. I'm happy. I just—I'm sorry…"

"I understand," he said gently, cutting her off to keep her from beating herself up any further. She didn't need it, and…he did understand. Now. Being here now, looking at this little girl, this girl that was _his_…suddenly he knew how horrible it must have been for Vala, going through everything that happened with Adria. He'd been as understanding as he could when it was happening, done his best to be there for her, but he hadn't _known_.

Now he did.

She swallowed and tried to improve the mood. "H-hey, I wasn't lying when I said I hope she keeps the eye color. It would be perfect if she kept big, beautiful blue ones just like her father's." Vala paused and giggled. "You're getting red again."

"I know," he quipped, then sighed and kissed her hair. "The others are probably outside waiting to see her. You want me to run them off so you can get some rest?"

"No, no…that would be wonderful, but I want to see their reactions, and I don't think they would be very happy with us if we made them wait until I wake up. Go get them, and then you can take her."

Daniel didn't have to go far. The others really were right outside the door: Jack and Gavin, Sam and Simon, Reynolds, Jennifer Hailey, Erin Satterfield, Landry and Hammond, even Siler—along with Jacek, Adria, and Carolyn of course.

"Is she all right?" Carolyn asked quietly. He nodded.

From the questions they were already peppering him with, he realized that the doctor and grandparents had told them nothing more than the fact that they baby had come. Jack quieted them down for him. "Well?"

"It's a girl," Daniel beamed. He told them the name and why, and led them back to Vala with strict instructions to keep it down to a few minutes.

Giggles and collective 'awww's floated through the infirmary when they got there. Daniel put the crutches down and sat on the edge of the bed when he got back, and Vala gently handed Kelana over to him. For several moments he wasn't aware at all of what the others were saying.

"She beautiful, son," Hammond smiled, and clapped Daniel on the back.

"I can't tell who she looks like—except for the eyes," Hailey commented.

"It's good enough that Daniel here got here," Sam chuckled, punching his arm. "Who would have thought sixteen or seventeen years ago we'd be here when your first kid was born."

Jack grinned mischievously. "Who would have thought _Vala_ would be the mother?" Vala just rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, general smart-elic," Daniel smirked.

"That's my job!" he answered cheerily.

Gavin ran up and tugged at Daniel's sleeve. "Uncle Daniel, Aunt Vala?"

"What is it?" Daniel asked. Vala looked over at him too. Jack picked up the almost-four year old and sat him on the edge of the bed next to Daniel so he could see the baby and talk to them more easily.

"Well…" the boy began, and looked at his dad for a moment. "Uncle Daniel, when we thought you went ta heaven, Daddy said that me and him would hafta take cara Aunt Vala and the baby for you till everybody came back—like, Mom and everybody. He said I'd hafta be like a big brother and watch out for the baby, and I was happy 'cause the only brother I gotts is in heaven, too."

Gavin crossed and tried look serious. "And then, God sent you back, and I'm happy 'bout that too, cause I missed you, but now _you_ can take care of the baby, and I know she's still kinda my cousin and all, but…" He looked down sheepishly. "But I was wonderin' if I can still be like a big brother. I don't have a sister. Issit okay if I pretend?"

Daniel exchanged glances with Vala, and both of them were grinning by now.

"Of course," he answered.

"Kelana doesn't have any brothers or sisters here yet either, but—but she has one in Heaven too," Vala added more quietly. "So…you two will have to look out for each other until they all get back."

Gavin brightened. "So I can be like her brother?"

Daniel squeezed Vala's hand and chuckled. "Consider yourself the proud brother of a newborn baby sister."

"Yay! Thank you!" Gavin kissed the baby's cheek. "Hi sissy."

He jumped down and ran off again, and Jack sidled up next to Daniel as he watched him run around the infirmary with joy. "Thanks for that."

"There's another cliché for ya."

"Yea," Jack smirked. "Who'd have thought the same idiot scientist who almost got my team stuck in the back end of nowhere on Abydos would be having kids as close as siblings to mine…however many years later this is. I'm not good at the math."

"Yeah."

O'Neill nodded once. "Aaaaand that's enough ridiculous nostalgic comparison for one day. I'll get these guys out of here for ya."

Vala sighed. "Yes, please."

Daniel just smiled again and cradled his daughter in his arms.

* * *

"Vala, she's not drinking anymore. I'm telling you, she's done," Daniel said again from the table in their room.

"Just be glad Carolyn was able to get a couple breast milk pumps off of Earth before we left. Otherwise _you_ wouldn't be able to feed her at all; we certainly didn't have room to bring formula."

Daniel shrugged and set the bottle on the table. "She never finishes when I feed her. Am I doing something wrong?"

Vala chuckled and finished folding Kelana's clothes and putting them back on the shelves from being washed. "She's four weeks old. She's just being ornery. But really, try to get her to finish it. Her weight is fine, but it would make me feel better."

"All of these little details…"

He kissed the girl's cheek and stood up with her. The corner of her mouth pulled up in the beginnings of a smile. "Well, you're getting there.'

"Hmm?"

"She's trying to smile."

"Oh really?" Vala came to his side and looked over his shoulder at their daughter. "Yes, I suppose that's something." Then it was gone, and Vala shrugged and pulled his head down to get a good kiss in.

That was when Jack barged in, Sam behind him looking all excited about something. "Hey, come on; you've got to see what Siler picked up." They were in too much of a hurry to notice that the couple they had just ran in on had been sucking face a second before.

"What is it?" Vala asked.

"Supposedly the seas aren't blood anymore. GC networks are saying they've all turned back to water," Sam reported.

* * *

In the weeks since he'd become a believer, Richard Woolsey had done everything he could to protect off-world believers. He 'lost' or 'never received' massages, altered them before sending them on or sending them back, was more conscious about the orders he made.

He knew he would probably be caught, eventually, or he would have to run. It was inevitable. But he suddenly didn't mind so much anymore. Now he was sure he would welcome the opportunity to get away from everything the new, unimproved SGC was doing to further Carpathia's cause.

But Richard also knew that he had to do everything he could while he was still able.

So he did. He stayed in his position, and he used it, not quite as carefully as he had before. Now that he knew what cause he was really working for, he could afford to be as overly cautious as he had been before, if he was going to get anything accomplished.

But Woolsey hadn't expected the end of his free reign to come quite so soon. He wasn't expecting it when the young Asian women slowed to walk beside him for a moment in the corridor. She was a fellow believer he had passed more than one in the corridors, probably with a fake mark similar to his, but he had never had a chance to speak to her. It was too dangerous.

That day she did more than acknowledge him. No one else was in sight, but still she was careful as she slowed and whispered a short message to him.

"Be careful. You may have to run. They suspect you. Others here have reported you." Then she was gone again.


	74. Double Wedding

**Note from ChristianGateFan:** Hi! Things are crazy, being a senior, and I don't have time for much writing. Right now I'm focusing on two different stories--the Gilmore Girls and Buffy stories--but I know many of you wanted me to finish this, and I felt the Lord wanted it finished too. Then my good friend Dragonlots (who also wrote the Atlantis version of Left Behind, which was awesome) offered to help finish it, and I finally took her up on her offer. I've given her a timeline and I'm looking over the chapters before they're posted and making minor adjustments, but the writing is hers. I hope you'll all still stick around to see the rest of this epic adventure out, and please do review! We have to make sure Dragonlots knows she's doing a great job, now don't we? ;) That, and the both of us want to know you're still out there, lol. So enjoy, and thanks for coming back after so long!

**Note from Dragonlots:** By mutual agreement, I'm going to be finishing Left Behind SG1 for ChristianGateFan. I will be following the notes I've been given, plus making some additions myself. CGF will be reading and then posting the chapters, so we don't lose anyone already on the alert list.

Also, please visit my profile page. I have a list of prequels for 'Left Behind Stargate Atlantis', one of which is a part of several other stories I'm semi-regularly updating. I also keep my readers informed about my pro writing career. I have one story, 'The Cat's Creation Tale' which has been accepted for publication in an anthology called, 'All About Eve', edited by Carol Hightshoe.

* * *

Chapter 74

Jenny ducked back behind the slightly open entrance as two F16s flew overhead. They'd been doing that a lot lately and she wondered if their safe house was in danger, particularly since Mr. Gerrow had several teams out looking for more places to shelter believers. Granted it might be because there were more people than room remaining in the cave. Their worship area now housed several families.

"The door's supposed to be shut," Shane reminded her as he pulled her away. He pushed the entrance closed.

"I'm supposed to be watching for the teams."

"They'll ring the bell." He pointed at the wire disappearing into a hole on the wall.

"But with the constant flyovers, they might need to get inside quickly."

"If they're spotted, they'd rather run and lead them away from the rest of us."

"Oh, whatever." Jenny puffed her lower lip out, pouting.

Shane brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Or are you feeling cooped up?"

"A little." She pulled her jacket she always had to wear tighter around her. "It's just always so cool and dark. I miss the sun."

"That's why the lights all have UV."

She knew it was one of the drawbacks of being in the cave. Sunlight produced Vitamin D and she'd heard stories about people going mad or, worse yet, blind, when in the blackness of caves for too long. Whoever had set up the system had been smart enough to make sure the lights were the special ones which provided UV and helped to counteract what they didn't have access to. Still, she got tired of not seeing anything but dull brownish-red walls and crowds of people—even if they were all Christians.

Mr. Gerrow approached the couple and gave them a warm smile. "I take it no one is back yet."

"No, sir," Jenny answered.

He scratched his unshaven cheek. "When we start moving people, how would the two of you feel about living in an old ghost town?" He chuckled. "Well, close to one anyway."

"But Sam said—" Jenny began.

Gerrow's face became very serious. "We're overcrowded here. Several of my teams have found a number of old mines where we can safely move some of our people. The families would be more difficult to move, so I was hoping the younger people wouldn't mind relocating."

She felt Shane's hand close over hers. "That'll be fine," he said.

"Good. Now. Keep watching." He winked at them. "And get a breath of fresh air." He trudged back down the corridor.

"What was that about?" Shane asked, looking a little confused about the wink.

"Men are so clueless," Jenny muttered. She slipped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I think that was his way of saying he approves of us. As a couple."

"Oh." His face turned a little red. "Really?"

"Really." She released him and opened the door. "Shall we?"

* * *

Sam expertly guided their ship into orbit, then back down again, skimming about a half mile over the planet's ocean. It was clear and pure, although she could see the bodies of dead fish piled up on the sandy shore.

"I guess the seas did change back," Daniel muttered. He was seated in the chair on the other side of the controls. His crutches were leaning against the golden arm, and Jack stood behind him.

"That include the rivers, Sam?" Jack asked.

"Let's find out." She guided the vessel over the waves toward the largest river she knew drained into it.

"No such luck," Jack grumbled.

Sam glanced up and saw the oozing red sluggishly joining the ocean. However, as it touched the ocean, it too was cleansed.

"Only God could do something like this." Daniel's tone was reverent.

Jack's hand lightly squeezed the other man's shoulder. Sam smiled to herself. The two had been good friends before; now, as brothers in Christ, they were even closer. She was closer to the both of them, too, than she had ever been before. Fifteen years ago who would have known that they would end up here?

Jack moved his hand and dropped it to his side. "We serve a wonderful God."

"Amen," Sam echoed as she turned the cargo ship back toward its hiding place. Out of habit she kept eyes both on the controls and outside. One never knew if they were truly safe. The GC could always send a ship to look for them. Not that they'd even have a clue where to look. Still, Carpathia was resourceful. After losing several key people, he would probably keep searching for them. For revenge if nothing else.

"I wonder what happened to Atlantis?" Daniel's question interrupted Sam's train of thought. She glanced over at him.

Jack scratched the back of his neck. "Rumor has it he sent the Odyssey after them."

Daniel half turned in his chair. "But we haven't heard anything since."

Jack and Sam exchanged a look. They were thinking the same thing. If Carpathia had had a victory in the Pegasus galaxy, it would have been all over the network. Maybe not on Earth since there he still kept the rest of the planets and their citizens a secret, but out here hey would have heard _something_.

"Maybe you ought to send out a query to some of our contacts," Jack suggested.

"Couldn't hurt," Sam agreed.

Daniel faced forward. "I suspect we aren't going to learn what happened there until the glorious appearing."

* * *

Vala put her five month old daughter into the makeshift playpen the 'scrounger' had managed to scrape together. She grinned to herself as she recalled Jack telling them that a scrounger was a lousy soldier, but very good at finding needed things.

Her father muttered behind her. Vala turned and sighed. "Let me help you with that."

"I'm perfectly capable of doing this myself."

"I know." She reached up and helped him with his formal black tie. "How's that?"

"Feel like I'm choking," he grumped back.

"I'm betting Adria will think you're quite handsome."

Jacek caught her hand. "Are you okay with this?"

At least he'd asked. "Yes, I am. Now," she gave him a playful shove. "Will you get moving? You don't want to be late for your own wedding." Vala went back to the play pen and picked up Kelana, grunting a little even though it didn't really take much effort "You're getting big," she told her daughter in amusement.

"She is growing fast," the girl's grandfather agreed.

"Now what did I just tell you?"

"Not to be late for my own wedding."

"Well, then."

Her father gave her a mocking bow and vanished out the door.

"Daniel, we're going to be late!"

"I'm coming." Her husband came out from behind the curtain they'd hung in the corner of their quarters to cordon off something of a closet or dressing room. He was wearing a simple brown suit with a white shirt and a black tie. "How do I look?"

"Good enough; we might be late for my father's wedding if we don't get going."

"I still can't believe you actually made me pack this stupid thing. We were fleeing the _planet_ for goodness sakes..."

"What? A girl can't want her husband to look nice? Even on the lamb? Though granted, you could have packed a better one..."

Daniel gave her a look.

She sighed dramatically. "I know. I'll just have to suffer."

He smiled. "Big day. Two couples getting married...don't think we've had that happen here."

"When I talked to Carolyn, she said Jar'en had decided to stay here with her and not return to the Jaffa camp."

"Probably a good thing. I know we'll all be glad to keep Carolyn around." Daniel retrieved his crutches from where they'd been left next to the door. "Shall we go?"

"Absolutely."

She waited until he exited before she followed with their daughter. Vala had hoped Daniel's limp would improve, but it seemed he would have it until Christ returned. _Why, Lord? _she pleaded silently. _Why did this have to happen to Daniel?_

Her plea was met with a quiet, _Would you have rather he died?_

_No, of course not._

_Then be thankful, child. I have a plan._

_Doesn't everyone?_

* * *

The main area where they held meetings and praise services was full. The few standing made room for Daniel and Vala as the pair moved up front to sit on the groom's side. Her husband carefully put his crutches to the side and took Kelana. Vala's smile thanked him as she went to stand next to her father.

Earth tradition allowed him a best man, but he'd asked his daughter to stand next to him. Vala had been at first taken back but had gradually warmed to the idea. Jar'en also stood there nervously, like Jacek did, for the entrance of their intended brides. Simon stood in the front and tried to give the two men a reassuring smile.

"Who's idea was it to have a double wedding?" she heard her father gripe.

"Yours," she replied.

"Next time, stop me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Sweet notes filled the room and everyone turned to the main door. The entire audience stood up, except her husband. No one would reprimand him for not honoring custom.

Jack O'Neill stood in the back, gently urging his son Gavin to walk down the aisle. The little boy proudly held a pillow on which rested the rings. He marched down and stopped in front of Simon, who took the rings and pointed to an empty spot next to Daniel. Gavin nodded and went to join his 'uncle'.

Next, Sam walked down the aisle, holding a simple pink flower. Vala reflected she'd rarely seen her friend in a dress. The simple blue gown shimmered across the floor and when Sam reached the front, she stepped to the brides' side.

The music changed to another song. Carolyn, in a simple white dress, was escorted to her new husband to be on her proud father's arm. General Landry gave her a light kiss on the forehead and announced, "I give this woman."

Simon nodded. The general took his place in the audience.

Lastly, General O'Neill escorted Adria. The older woman, in Vala's opinion, had never looked more beautiful. Her sunshine yellow dress sparkled and lit up the entire room.

Jack nodded at Simon who nodded back.

"You may be seated," Simon announced. There was a general rustling as everyone sat down. "Dearly beloved,"

Vala looked over at Daniel, remembering their own wedding. He smiled back as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. She listened to the words said and the vows and watched as the rings were exchanged.

Finally,

"Everyone, I present to you husbands and wives...Jacek and Adria, Carolyn and Jar'en."

There was a general applause as the two couples retreated down the aisle.

Later, as everyone mingled for an informal reception, Jacek took Vala aside. "I really want to thank you for standing up for me and for, well, everything else you've done..."

"Wasn't me so much as God, you know."

"Still..." He seemed uncomfortable, like he wasn't sure exactly what he was doing.

"It's okay, Dad." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Go enjoy your new wife."

He ambled off.

"Everything okay?" Daniel asked he hobbled up next to her.

She frowned. "Where are your crutches?"

"I'm fine."

"Go sit down before you fall down." Gently she guided him over to a bench. "Where's Keli?"

"With your new step mom."

Her eyes traveled to the woman who had just married her father. Adria glowed, and in her arms was her new granddaughter. Even as she marveled at the feeling's contrast to the past, Vala's heart warmed to the image as she sat next to Daniel.

"They'll be good grandparents," she heard her husband say.

"I agree." She put an arm around him and rested her head on her shoulder.

"You look beautiful, by the way," Daniel said after a moment.

"You're just staying that."

"I MEAN it." He used his finger to tip her face up. "I love you." He kissed her.

"I love you, too, Daniel."

* * *

George Hammond stopped, placing his sweating palm against the smooth tunnel wall. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sharp pain in his chest. It would pass. All the other episodes he'd had during the past few weeks had.

When he began to feel better he wiped the perspiration from his forehead and continued on his way. His legs were a little shaky, but after walking for a few minutes it stopped.

He stopped in the cafeteria where most of the group here both shared their meals and had daily Bible studies. George helped himself to a glass of water and sat down near the back of the room. He sipped the cool liquid and began to feel more like himself.

"Morning, George," Jack greeted, sitting down opposite him. A huge mug of what little coffee they had left rested comfortably in his hands.

"Hello, Jack."

O'Neill sipped the brew and frowned at Hammond. "You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Uh, huh." Jack gave him a knowing look. "Go see Carolyn."

"I said I'm fine."

"Still stubborn. Do I have to make it an order?"

"Wouldn't do any you any good," he returned good naturedly. "I'm retired."

Sam and Simon joined them. Both had mugs and some sort of fruit they'd gotten from the Jaffa camp.

"Morning," Sam muttered. She brushed her blonde hair out of eyes. Hammond had been taken by surprise when she'd decided to allow it grow long, but now he had to admit it looked good on her. It made her look more like a woman than an Air Force officer.

Her husband gazed over at Hammond and frowned. "You look a little pale, George. Maybe you should go see Carolyn."

"I just told him the same thing," Jack said.

"I'm fine." Hammond used his finely-honed command tone, which, with any luck, would shut up any further discussion.

"Yeah, sure." Except for Jack, who never listened to him anyway.

"We've gotten several requests from planets needing water and supplies." Sam annonced then. Thankfully she had decided to change the subject.

"And?" Jack prompted.

"And, I'm wondering who's tired of being cooped up and wants to make a run?"

Every hand around the table went up.

* * *

It had been four months since Woolsey had been warned the GC was onto him. Every day he came to work expecting to be arrested, possibly beheaded. Today was no exception. He hadn't fled yet because somehow he felt as if he would _know_ when it was time to run—or to not run. As absurd as it would have seemed to him not all that long ago, he waited on God's direction.

Richard parked his car in the crowded lot and got out, intending to make his way to the entrance and then down to the sublevels, to the SGC. However, a movement off to the side stopped him.

A shadow detached itself from the brownish-red rocks and approached him. His mouth opened in surprise. "What do you—"

The Asian woman put a finger on her lips. He immediately fell silent. She motioned for him follow her, and he glanced around to see if the guards at the gate had noticed them.

"God has blinded them," she whispered. "Come quickly."

He stepped behind his car and out of sight just as a truck came roaring up to the gate. It was filled with GC personnel.


	75. The Castle

**Note from Dragonlots:** First off, my apologies for not getting back to the story sooner. I've had a number of things happen with my pro writing and that forced me to put my fanfiction on the back burner. A second story, 'Chandra's Gift' will be published in the April edition of online ezine 'Lorelei Signal' and will be included in 'Mystic Signals' coming out in May.

Also, my novel 'Winter Awakening' had been accepted for publication. I am awaiting the official contract. It should be out sometime in 2011.

Also, I live in Colorado and am very familiar with its history, lay out, Colorado Springs, Denver, and a number of other places. I will be using actual locations and towns in the upcoming chapters. If you'd like a taste I suggest reading my fanfiction story 'Key Elements', a 'Surface'/'SG1' crossover.

* * *

Chapter 75

"Where are we going?" Woolsey demanded as he followed the Asian woman. He glanced uneasily behind to see if they were being followed. The GC soldiers were running into the base and didn't seem to notice his car was sitting in the lot.

"This way," she instructed as she headed down a rocky side trail.

He mumbled something under his breath and stared at his shoes. They were meant for office work, not scaling steep mountains.

She motioned with her hand.

"Just don't let me break a leg," he pleaded to God as he followed.

* * *

Gerrow had moved a couple of groups out but it was still crowded in the cave. Jenny threaded her way through the main area and met Shane by the tunnel leading to the outside. He took her hand and the two took several steps backward until they were certain no one could see them.

"Are you ready for the move?" Shane asked her.

"As I'll ever be." She was pretty sure her doubt could be heard in her voice. Sam had told her to stay put because she'd safe there until, well, until whenever it was they were supposed to be reunited.

"Don't worry. God will know where you are." He pulled her into his arms. Jenny could hear his heartbeat.

"I know, it's just..." She paused. "I feel like I shouldn't go."

"It's gonna be fine. You'll see." She felt his lips on her forehead. "Gerrow says it's very pretty where we're going and at least we'll be out of these awful tunnels." He put his finger under her chin and tipped her head up so she could look into his face. "You'll get to see some sunshine."

"Hopefully we don't see any GC." She shivered. They'd been hearing reports of constant raids on Christian hide-outs.

"From what I'm hearing, the mountains are hard to get into. We'll see or hear them long before they reach us."

"But you know we have to use the main roads to get there because of all the canyons."

"Chloe Williams has us covered."

Jenny knew the co-op had arranged their transportation and had all the necessary documents prepared. There shouldn't be any questions if they were stopped anywhere on either I25 or I70 between Colorado Springs and their final destination. Yet they couldn't be certain there might not be a few obstacles.

"I'm scared, Shane."

"Yeah, me too." Shane leaned down and kissed her. It was the first time he had and she relaxed, allowing the sweet moment.

"But I gotta believe God is going to watch out for us," he said as he released her, "and keep us safe. Otherwise there'd be no point."

"To moving?" His sentence didn't make any sense.

"Uh, no." He smiled micheviously as he took her hand and pressed it against his heart. "To us getting married once we get there."

* * *

The path lead to the outskirts of a rubble-filled neighborhood in Colorado Springs. His guide moved confidently through the destroyed homes and Woolsey sighed, hoping she knew exactly where she was going.

She stopped at a shape huddling between three brick walls. Her small fingers pulled off a tarp then fumbled in her pocket for something. "Here."

Automatically he raised his hands and caught a set of keys. He glanced at them and then at her. "Who are you?"

"A friend. That's all you need to know."

"And where am I supposed to go? They'll be looking for me."

"There's an envelope in the front seat. It'll tell you."

"You don't know?"

"No." She shook her head. "It's for your protection and mine."

"That way you can't betray me."

"Or anyone else who might be helping you." She offered him a smile. "Good luck, Mr. Woolsey. If I don't see you before, I see you when Christ returns."

"Well, I...thank you..." It was all he could say. He watched as she went back up the trail they'd just descended. He climbed into the front seat of the gray jeep and started it up. It had a full tank of gas and he opened the sealed envelope. With a frown he looked at his destination. He'd heard some rumors about the place and couldn't believe he was supposed to go there. The chances were he'd be met with a gun.

Putting the jeep into gear, he took a final look at various antennas sticking out of what seemed like a bald mountain. Truthfully, they sat on white rock and above the timber line. Alpine country as the natives said.

The SGC was now no longer his concern. His foot pressed the accelerator and he navigated out of the debris until he reached the deserted street. Carefully he negotiated he roads until he reached the highway behind the military housing. Once he passed them he breathed easier and eased the speed up. In a few hours he'd be at his new hiding place and safe—at least for a little while.

* * *

Sam found Jack and Daniel in the main area. They were looking at something spread out on one of the tables and didn't notice her until she was beside them.

"What's up, Sam?" Daniel asked, looking up.

"We'd a request via some of our contacts...and it looks like the believers on Edora need help."

She didn't miss the jerk of Jack's shoulders.

"What do they need?" Daniel asked.

"Food. Medical aid. Maybe water."

He nodded. "Why don't you get with Carolyn and see what she can spare."

"And the rest?"

"Jack?" Daniel turned to his old friend. Sam wondered what O'Neill would say.

"I'll check our food and see what we have." He frowned. "Though I'm curious as to why they'd need any; they grew their own food."

Sam spoke up. "Their planet was pretty decimated by the meteor shower a few years ago."

"If the plagues hit before they'd had a chance to recover..." Daniel began.

"Then by now they'd need our help," Jack finished. He straightened and crossed his arms, leaning back to sit on the edge of the table. "I want to go along."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Daniel shrugged.

"I'll go talk with Carolyn," Sam concluded, and hurried out of the room. When the events of Edora had happened she'd been sure she was in love with Jack O'Neill. She'd never allowed herself to admit the truth. Not to herself and certainly not to Janet Fraser.

Sam stopped and put her hand on the smooth wall. Janet. She hadn't thought of her old friend for a long, long time. A tear worked its way out of the corner of her eye and she wiped it away. She had no idea where her friend's soul had ended up and wouldn't know until Christ returned.

"Oh, Father," she breathed. "I really hope..." She couldn't finish her sentence, but she knew God understood her unspoken plea.

* * *

The road wrapped around the mountain and the scent of pines pushed into the jeep. Woolsey enjoyed their sharp tang. He slowed as the approached his destination and stopped, because there wasn't much choice. Someone had built a six-foot-high rock wall across the road.

Getting out he approached the obstacle. "Hello?" he called.

Something long and black snaked out of a hole he hadn't noticed. "Who's there?"

"Uhm...My name is Richard Woolsey. I was told to come here?" He raised his hands to show he was harmless.

There was a grunt and a ladder rope was tossed over. "Been expectin' ya."

At least he wasn't going to be shot. Woolsey gingerly climbed the unstable ladder and hopped down to the ground on the other side. "Thank you."

The older man with gray hair snorted. "I ain't got no use for the GC. Only reason I help people git away from 'em."

"I can understand that." He took in the appearance of his host. Wrinkles graced the area around his brown eyes and sprinkled down his sagging cheeks. He wore a flannel shirt under his dirty jean overalls. Hiking boots finished the ensemble. There was no believer's mark on his forehead, nor Carpathia's. "You're not a Christian."

A chuckle escaped pale lips. "No. Enemy of my enemy if'n ya catch my drift."

"Is my friend," Woolsey finished.

"Somethin' like that." He tossed his gun onto his shoulder. Richard hoped it wasn't loaded. "Go make yourself at home."

Woolsey's eyes drifted up. Above the pines a metal dragons head peaked out.

"Sprews fire afore ya ask." The man laughed. "Keeps the bad guys away."

He doubted that. All they had to do was drop a bomb and that would be the end of it.

"Name's Carl."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Woolsey."

Slowly the two men made their way up the cracked road. Sitting on the mountain side was a huge rock castle with wire walkways and stairs. There were burned signs on the sandy ground and what looked like an unfinished bridge.

"You built Bishop's Castle?"

"Nah." Carl shook his head. "Fella who did, the GC got. I snuck in here one night and took over when they didn't seem to care anymore."

"They don't come here?"

"Not for a long while."

They entered one of the arched doors and Woolsey wondered how strong the spiral staircase was they were climbing. It wobbled under their weight. When they emerged on the next level he whistled.

"Wow."

"Pretty ain't it."

That was an understatement. The floor beneath them was solid wood. Steepled windows above allowed plenty of sunshine to light the room. Scattered around were benches and Richard walked to one wall made completely of stained glass.

"I would have liked to have met the man who built this." He turned to face his host.

"Yeah, me too."

Barking sounded and a small dog padded over to say hello to Carl. The old man scratched behind a black ear. "Jake, say 'ello to our new friend."

"He doesn't bite does he?"

"Naw."

Jake ambled over, giving Richard a quick sniff before wagging his tail. Tentatively he touched the dog's head. The fur was soft.

"Keeps me company when I ain't hidin' a body."

The choice of words was curious and Woolsey hoped it didn't mean anything.

"Come on." Carl headed for another archway. "I don't live up here. Too easy for 'em to see me."

"Where are we going?"

"Below."

Descending yet another rickety set of winding stairs, they emerged into the lower area. It was dim, with only a few tiny stain glass windows letting in light. There was an antique stove against one wall and an area where a sleeping bag had been tossed on the stone floor.

"What happens if they try to trap you in here?" He couldn't help it. The room made him feel claustrophobic.

Carl laughed. "Oh, there's many ways out of 'er."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Good. You hungry?"

His stomach growled.

"I'll take that as a yes." Carl busied himself at the stove. Jake laid down on what looked like a braided rug, watching his master with hopeful eyes.

Not sure what to do, Richard sat down on a bench he found. _Okay, God; I'm here. Now what?_

* * *

"Hey, Carolyn," Sam greeted as she entered the infirmary.

The dark-haired doctor glanced up from her desk. "Hi, Sam."

She took a seat and ordered her thoughts. "We have a request for some medical supplies."

"We're limited. Who's it for?"

"Believers on Edora."

"See what I can do."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate it." Sam bit her lip. "Any chance you could come along?"

"I really shouldn't."

Sam understood. Carolyn was the only doctor they had. "Maybe one of the nurses?"

"I think I can arrange that." The other woman frowned. "Something wrong?"

Sam looked at the floor. "I was just thinking about someone I used to know."

Carolyn sat back in her chair. "It always helps to talk."

"I'd rather not. It raises questions there aren't any answers for."

"I'm always willing to listen."

"Thanks...I appreciate it." Sam got up. "How long before you can have the supplies together?"

"A couple of hours should be plenty."

"I'll be back later to get them."

"They'll be ready."

* * *

Several hours later Sam, Jack and Simon were loading supplies onto one of their small cargo ships. Daniel was leaning on his cane, watching. A young nurse joined them with a medical box, and smiled shyly at them.

"Hi," Sam greeted.

"Hi. I'm Terry Gardner."

"Well, get on board," Jack said. "We want to take off soon."

"I still think," Daniel interjected, "that you should use the stargate."

"The ground was very soft where it stood." Sam had gone over all this several hours earlier. "It may have collapsed back underground." She picked up one of the crates, and Simon took it from her and carried it into the ship.

Daniel nodded. "Just be careful."

"_You_ look after Gavin." Jack replied, giving his friend a stern glare.

"Gavin will be fine. He's with Vala."

"Look, Daniel..." Jack hesitated. "If something happens to me..."

Daniel's face took on a shadowed look that was all too familiar these days. "We've talked about this, Jack."

O'Neill nodded and carried the last container into the ship.

The nurse had already boarded and Simon came out and put his arm around her waist. "Ready to go, Sam?"

"I wish you'd stay here."

Her husband shook his head. "Nothing doing. Where you go, I go."

Instead of being comforting, his words caused a deep chill to worm its way down her back. She tried to smile. It was, after all, just a supply run.

"We'll back in a few days, Daniel."

"Have a safe trip."

She nodded and allowed Simon to guide her into the vessel.

* * *

Carpathia fumed in his rooms. The seas where clear but the lakes and rivers still stank of blood and fish rotted on the shores. His aborted attempt to take credit for the cleansing had blown up in his face. Many people no longer believed every word he uttered.

His eyes drifted upward and he fumed. "You think you've won." He made a fist and shook it. "This is MY time!"

The desk phone chittered, and he was almost tempted to grab it and toss it across the room. It's smashing into millions of metal and plastic pieces would be most satisfying. Instead, he hit the intercom.

"What?" His threatening tone should make the person on the other end cringe. He certainly hoped so.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Excellency." The voice on the other end shook slightly. That made him happy. "But you asked to be updated if we heard anything about the operation at Cheyenne Mountain."

"Yes?" He couldn't contain his excitement. There had been a traitor covering for those who had escaped his grasp off-world. The execution would be very public.

"The commanding officer regrets to inform you that Richard Woolsey somehow managed to escape."

"What!" No! How could that be!

"He never reported for work at the SGC this morning. They found the remains of his car in the parking lot."

"Remains?"

"Yes, sir. The car was blown up. Also..." There was a pause at the other end. "Forensic evidence suggests there was a body inside."


	76. Not All Gone

From CGF: Hey ya'll! I actually got this from Dragonlots week or so ago, but got busy and wasn't able to post till now. Really sorry! But she's still doing a great job, so please do continue to review! Thanks so much!

Quick note from Dragonlots: Am running a survey on my profile page. Please drop by and participate!

Chapter 76

The blue and white of hyperspace blazed past the window, and Jack watched it almost absently from the unused co-pilot seat of the cargo ship. The blur was familiar, and it kept his mind from drifting to events he would have just as soon forgotten about.

He noticed Sam glance at him before concentrating her attention on flying the ship. Simon walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. She gave her husband a smile, and Jack got up. He was a bit jealous and he didn't want to be.

"Why don't you sit here, Simon," he offered.

"Thanks." The other man sat in his vacated seat and Jack retreated to the cargo hold. He passed the nurse as she came out.

Jack found a box and sat down, leaning his back against the wall, and vaguely he felt the vibration through the metal.

Closing his eyes, he allowed the memories he'd been fighting to surface.

He'd been sitting in the boat on the pond. Jack couldn't remember how many days he'd been on the Edora, with no hope of rescue or going back to Earth...

Had he been angry at that point? Sad? He couldn't remember.

What he did remember was Laira. She'd walked down the dirt path toward him and spoke. **"**Come. I'd like your company."

"_I_ don't even like my company right now." He'd hoped she would go away and leave him alone in his misery.

She hadn't given up though. "You will again. Loss is that way. I mourned my husband for a hundred days: I never left my house. I never spoke to anyone."

" After that?"

"I left my house and I spoke to people." She held out her hand to him. "Walk with me."*

He had, and for the life of him he had no idea why. Maybe that had been when he'd first started to care for...perhaps even love her. Jack couldn't be sure, but it had been Paynan's words that had made him realize it.

"She is a fine woman."

"Yes, she is." He'd known it for a long time. The stubborn refusal to give up had kept him away from her. It had been time to change that.

"Took you long enough to see that...I was afraid you were going blind."

"Well, if I've gone blind...it's from whatever we were drinking last night."

Suddenly back in the present, Jack leaned forward and pressed his face into his hands. "Oh, Laira," he moaned. Once again he was coming into her life when he felt grief. Sara, his wife, was gone. Unless—and he wasn't sure whether he would be happy or sad to learn it—Laira had accepted Christ and had been raptured.

* * *

Night had fallen at the Castle, and a faint breeze whistled through the pines. Woolsey used his flashlight to make a trip to the outhouse before going back down the shaky staircase. A friendly warmth embraced him. Odd to think the antique stove could keep the chilly room comfortable. Carl whistled as he prepared coffee for the two of them, and Jake sat nearby two bright eyes on his master. His tale wagged, thumping against the other's sleeping bag.

"How long have you been here?" Richard asked.

"Long time." Carl handed him a mug and sat down on a large rock.

"Do you intend to stay here?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw the other man shrug. "Depends on the GC."

"You don't talk much do you?"

"Not much."

Jake's head jerked up and the dog listened intently. Carl watched his companion but didn't reach for the nearby rifle.

"No chasin' rabbits tonight." He sipped his coffee.

"Rabbits?"

"What'cha think the meat was you et tonight?"

Truthfully, Richard hadn't known and hadn't wanted to. "It was good."

"Thanks."

He sipped from his mug. It wasn't great, but in a time of many shortages he wasn't going to complain.

Carl put his mug on the stone floor. "Back in a sec." He vanished through another door.

"I don't suppose you talk much either?" he asked the dog. The canine wagged his tail but didn't move from his comfortable bed.

"You'll need this." Carl said, returning to dump another sleeping bag beside Woolsey.

"Thank you." He honestly didn't want to know how many other people had used it before. In these times he couldn't afford to be choosey.

"Welcome." His host returned to the stove and banked the fire. "Not much ta do af'ta dark. Might as well turn in."

"Good idea." Richard finished his coffee and glanced around for a place to spread the sleeping bag.

"Any place will do. Ain't no mice. Jake took care of 'em."

"I appreciate knowing that." Again, more information than Richard wanted. He tossed the musty smelling bag a few feet from the stove. As he remembered, it got rather cold in the mountains at night.

He slid inside and used his arm as a pillow. A log in the stove crackled but besides that, it was the total silence which surprised him. He was used to the noise of the city, even with all the people who were now gone. He turned onto his back.

"Mornin' comes early. Best git some sleep."

"Just getting comfortable."

Carl snorted. Jake yipped. "Quiet. Time ta sleep."

Again the eerie hush descended. Richard closed his eyes. He supposed the dog would warn them if anyone came, but still...it seemed odd to hide in plain sight. Bishop's Castle wasn't exactly invisible.

_How long am I supposed to stay here, Lord? _he wondered silently.

He felt a pressing in his heart, as if he was receiving an audible answer. _**Until it is time for you leave.**_

_And when will that be?_

_**When it is time.**_

Nothing like a vague conversation with God to really make him wonder what was going on...and why. Maybe he was here to point Carl to Christ. Wouldn't that be something?

With a smile—and no small amount of wonder at how far his life had come—Woolsey dropped into sleep.

* * *

"Jack, are you alright?"

O'Neill looked up as Simon sat down beside him. "Yeah, I'm fine." He was lying through his teeth, and he knew it.

"Edora means something to you, doesn't it?"

His eyes drifted to the far wall. Simon hadn't been a part of everything he and his team had been through. Still, the man could be perceptive.

"I was stranded there once."

Simon's eyebrows went up. "How long?"

"Months." Jack wanted to avoid this conversation. It dredged up more memories part of him didn't want...like the nights he and Laira had spent together.

"I suspect there's more, but you aren't ready to share."

"It would be better if you dropped this."

Simon nodded. "For now, Jack." The preacher got up. "Don't allow guilt from the past to haunt you; you're forgiven by God."

"It isn't guilt."

"What then?"

"Regret."

* * *

Daniel heard a noise outside the main chamber. He closed his Bible and grabbed his cane, slowly making his away to the door where he thought the noise had come from. A figure was slumped against the wall.

"Do you need help?" His hand touched the other man's shoulder.

"Doctor…Jackson?" Two blue eyes stared up him, but they seemed to be looking at him from far away.

"General Hammond, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Daniel, I…" The older man's hand raised to touch his chest. "Can't seem …to get… my breath."

"Stay here." It was a silly thing for him to say. It was obvious Hammond wasn't going anywhere. Daniel hurried as fast as he could down the hall toward the medical area.

"Hi, Uncle Daniel!" He stopped and twisted as best he could, and found Gavin behind him. He tried to look sternly at the child.

"What are you doing out of bed? Does Vala know where you are?"

The boy shook his head. "I was told to come find you."

"I don't think Vala would have told you that."

With a shake of his head Gavin told him, "No. The angel. He said you needed help."

"What?" But then, it wasn't the first time Gavin had seen an angel. His leg began to throb and he knew he'd never make it to the infirmary. "Gavin, run. Get Aunt Carolyn. General Hammond is sick."

Two small legs dashed down the hall, and Daniel limped back to Hammond's side. He leaned against the wall. "Hang on, sir. Help is coming."

* * *

Carpathia glanced through the report now sitting on his desk. There had indeed been a body in the car that had exploded in Cheyenne Mountain's parking lot, but it had been so badly charred there was no way to test to know for certain exactly who had died. His hand smacked down on the paper. It made a satisfying crunching sound.

"No evidence Richard Woolsey escaped?" he demanded of the quaking solider in front of him.

"Not as far as we can tell, sir."

"You know my proper title!" he raged, launching to his feet. "Use it!"

"Sorry! Excellency!" The young man cried, bowing his head in submission.

"Bunglers. Incompetents!"

He didn't remember coming around his desk or strangling the messenger with his bare hands. Too bad. It would have been enjoyable.

* * *

Jenny knew she wasn't supposed to be out at night, but she just couldn't help herself. It was beautiful, if a bit cool, and the moon sat full in the sky. A perfectly romantic evening..._if _she'd chosen to bring Shane with her.

She sat down on a granite boulder and pulled her knees up to her chest, looping her arms around them. The wind sang through the pines and faintly she heard what sounded like a baby crying.

"That can't be..." she said. When the sound didn't come again Jenny decided her imagination must have been playing tricks on her.

"Hi, God," she began. "I just needed some quiet time alone with you." She closed her eyes. "I want to marry Shane and I want to be with him, but I'm so scared. Sam told me to stay put."

The wind rose up, whooshing through the branches. A few needles dropped down and lodged in her hair. She shook her head tin an attempt to dislodge them.

"Is it the right thing? Leaving?"

A faint snap, and she jerked. Her eyes darted around the area. "Oh, Father...!" she pleaded, terrified. If the GC had found them!

Instead, a large tawny shape approached her. It's tail twitched and it snarled, although the sound was nothing like she remembered hearing on TV. It sounded more like a young cub than a fierce lion.

Vaguely she wondered if she could make it back to the cave before the mountain lion caught her. Her feet touched the needle-covered ground.

"Jenny." Shane's voice reached her. "Don't move."

She froze. The feline predator hissed.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Over here!"

The cat turned its head toward him for a moment, but then whipped back around to focus two yellow-gold eyes on Jenny again.

"Hey!" Shane clapped his hands, trying to draw the animal away.

Somewhere in her mind was the knowledge, about what to do. Her parents had taught her long ago on the hikes they used to take. Rule one, don't get separated from the herd. She'd already made that mistake. Next, rule two, if you encounter a mountain lion make yourself big.

Yanking her jacket up over her head, she tried that. The cat yowled at her.

Rule three, if it makes noise at you, yell back.

_If you can get you're voice to work._ "Hey! Go away!" she heard herself shout.

The predator hissed again.

"Go away I said!" She stood up. The lion looked like it was going to pounce. "Go away!"

Several rocks flew through the air to distract the cat. Her eyes darted in Shane's direction. She hoped he wouldn't move. To do so would invite the feline to hunt him.

"I'm not worth it!" She hoped it couldn't hear her wildly beating heart.

With a twitch of its long tail, the Mountain Lion darted back into the trees. Jenny waited several long moments before moving. It still might be watching her.

"That was really dumb, you know," Shane scolded her.

"Yeah." She sat back on the rock and started to shake.

Shane rushed to her side and threw his arms around her. "They're not all gone. The animals."

She buried her face on his chest, taking in his warmth and masculine smell. "I forgot."

He kissed the top of her head. "You have pine needles in your hair."

His comment made her laugh. She hugged him hard, more than grateful to still be alive and that he'd been the one who'd seen to that. "I love you."

"Ditto. Now, let's get back inside before somebody notices and we get in trouble."

* * *

Sam landed the ship not far from the village, and Jack stared out at the familiar scene. The houses sat in the valley surrounded by mountains. He could see the main path going over the bridge, the pond filled with lily pads, and the plain people now venturing out to meet them. It was like a scene out of some medieval English movie.

"Sort of like the last time we were here," Sam commented.

"Not quite."

"You're right." She looked away. He saw a faint red tinge to her face.

"Thought we were past that."

"We are." She smiled. "Sometimes it's just...you know." She shrugged, smirking playfully now. "Embarrassing."

Jack was rolling his eyes when Simon glanced outside. If he'd taken notice of any of their short exchange, he chose not to make any mention of it. "Do you know any of these people?"

"Depends on who's left," Jack shrugged, heading for the main door. He took a moment to steady himself, and then opened it.

Fresh air rushed in and he stepped out into the sunshine. It was warm and welcoming on his face. He glanced around, and took it the sight of several fissures likely left over from the earthquakes and such. The stargate was still there though, and he pointed to it as the other three members of the group joined him.

"At least we know," Sam said.

"Yeah." His eyes searched the timid group that had gathered a few feet away now. They rested on the face of a woman he knew...or _had_ known...very well. When he found her she was stepping out of the small crowd, smiling the tired but delighted smile of one who has been through much, but now has good reason to be doing the smiling.

"You came back."

* * *

* Memory dialogue from the Stargate SG-1 episode "A Hundred Days".


	77. Edora

Note from Dragonlots: Sorry this took so long. My tutoring schedule has been nuts. We had a sick cat. I've been job hunting like crazy. Then, I fell down the stairs and broke my foot. Per doctor's orders I spent several days doing very little except elevating it and icing it. Anyway, things are finally slowing down so I can get back to my writing. My thanks to everyone for hanging in there.

Chapter 77

"Said I would," Jack replied as he resisted the urge to hug her.

Laira stopped. She'd started to raise her arms then slowly lowered them. Her eyes searched his face, perhaps for some sort of warmer welcome. "Fair day," she finally greeted.

"Fair day," he returned. Behind him he heard the others as they exited the ship.

"Nice to see you again, Laira," Sam said.

The other woman inclined her head slightly. He didn't miss her questioning look as she saw the small party. She wouldn't know two of them. "Where are the rest of your friends?"

"Daniel is at our base. As for T…he's..." He had to swallow the lump in his throat. "Dead."

"I'm sorry."

Simon spoke, "We received a message that you needed help."

She nodded. "Last planting season did not go well with..." her arm swept over the area, "all the plagues."

"We brought food," Jack assured her.

"Thank you."

"Come on, Simon." O'Neill headed back into the ship. "Let's start unloading."

* * *

Hammond looked very pale against the white pillow and sheets. Beside him a monitor beeped weakly and a nose tube fed oxygen into the older man. Dr. Lam injected something into the IV. Daniel turned away, and felt Landry's warm hand rest on his shoulder.

"My daughter is doing everything she can."

"I know." He glanced back at the man who had run Stargate Command for so many years. Hammond had often held onto hope when there didn't seem to be any; he had often come to their rescue. "It's just hard to see him like this."

Landry squeezed slightly, as if to reassure Daniel before releasing his grip. "George is tough."

Carolyn pulled the brown blanket higher up on Hammond's chest and shooed the two men out of area. She yanked at a white sheet suspended from the ceiling to separate the sick man from the rest of the medical area.

"How is he?" Daniel asked.

Her eyes darted between her father and Dr. Jackson. She took a quick breath before replying quietly, "He's had a massive heart attack. I'm sorry...he's dying."

* * *

Morning dawned bright and cool. Woolsey had been up before the sun rose, as had his host. Carl had disappeared with Jake on his heels to go hunting and had told him, "Won't be back afore dark. Make yerself at home. Food's there." He'd pointed at a box. "T'ain't much, so use it careful-like."

Richard had made a meager breakfast out of some white gritty stuff and now he sipped his lukewarm coffee. Light crept across the windowed ceiling chasing away the chilly shadows from the room. The silence enveloped him. It unnerved him. He shivered.

He got to his feet and trudged across the wood floor. Gazing outside, he took in the unfinished chaos below, where black rocks in several heaps littered the ground. There were a couple of thick rolls of wire and neatly piled to one side was cut lumber. Across the road he could see a mail box and he chuckled when he realized it, too, had a dragon sitting on top of it.

Taking another drink, he watched the trees sway slightly in the breeze. He'd heard about Bishop's Castle from various SGC personal who had come here on leave. They'd laughed at the political signs posted and marveled that one person could have built the structure alone. Richard had done a little research on his own and discovered the long political and legal battle which had been fought over its construction. The castle was considered a tourist site, but no one could ever live in it. There were too many building code violations.

However, the room he now stood in had often been used for weddings. He found himself wondering where those couples were today. Were they still here or in heaven?

"Guess it really doesn't matter," he muttered to himself. He finished his coffee and headed back below. It didn't take long to wash up his breakfast dishes. After he put them away, he rolled up his sleeping bag and put it on a stone ledge.

"Okay...now what?"

* * *

The supplies had been unloaded and were now neatly stacked in one of the barns. O'Neill wiped his sweating brow with his arm, his sleeve coming away damp. It had been hard work and he wasn't used to it anymore. He'd spent too many years behind a desk.

"Thirsty?"

He gratefully took the cup from Laira and drank the cool, refreshing water offered inside it. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." She took back the cup.

The villagers left and he noticed Sam, along with her husband Simon, waited for him by the door. He had no idea where the nurse was. Maybe she was checking out Laira's people or treating injuries or….

"I'm glad you came back." Laira's simple comment broke his train of thought.

"We're trying to help out anywhere we can."

"That isn't what I meant."

Somehow he'd known that. "I got re-married." Jack hadn't meant to say those words. They'd just come out.

A look he couldn't read flashed over her face. "I guess I should have—" She stopped. "Will you stay and share a meal with us?" Her smile, though warm, seemed sad. "It would be a proper way for us to thank you."

He thought about it for a moment, but then called to his friends."Hey, Sam, Simon!" They both looked at him. "We've been invited to stay for dinner."

* * *

Another group had been moved out of the cave and relocated to a secluded area somewhere above Idaho Springs. From what Jenny had heard, the roads to the new location had been nearly impassable. Those resettled had been forced to walk in. There had been several abandoned cabins so there had at least been places to live.

"I almost envy them," she'd said to Shane.

"We'll have a new home soon, too," he'd replied.

Jenny had begun to sort through her few belongings. There was another group that would be leaving before she and Shane would. However, she wanted to be ready, particularly since there had been several reports of more frequent flyovers and they couldn't be sure if they'd been spotted or not.

_Hope we get out of here if that's true. I hope everyone does, Lord._

* * *

The meal was simple. Laira broke the bread and passed it around the small group. Paynan, who O'Neill remembered from before, served a thick rich stew. Vaguely, it felt like he'd come home.

"You okay?" Sam asked, lightly touching his arm. She sat next to him with Simon on her other side.

"Fine. It's just so familiar."

She nodded. "Sometimes I wonder..." But she trailed off.

"I did what I had to. Let's leave it at that."

"Yes, sir," she breathed.

But had he really? He glanced over at Laira, who sat at the head of table. She was still as beautiful as he remembered. Her smile touched more than just her cheeks. It was reflected in her blue eyes. Her hair had grown and she had swept the brownish blonde mass back into something of a pony tail, secured with a simple piece of fabric.

She noticed him watching her. Her expression was unsure. He hated what he'd first said to her. Sarah was gone. His wife wouldn't begrudge him being happy. Still, would it be fair to either of them? Laira didn't bear the mark of the believer. Nor did she have Carpathia's mark.

"I'm going for a walk," he said. He got up and noticed Laira's son Garan and his girl—maybe now his wife—Naytha, sat next to his mother. He was happy for them, to see that they were still together after all these years.

Jack stepped out into the cool fresh air and took a deep breath. It was cleansing after the stuffy tunnels they lived in. Granted, the Tokra technology was a marvel and allowed fresh oxygen in, yet nothing matched the outside.

"You are sad."

He glanced over at Laira. She'd tossed a shawl over her shoulders. "Yeah."

"Do you miss your wife?"

With a nod he answered, "Sarah was killed just before we fled Earth."

"I am sorry."

"Me, too." He kicked at the ground. "I have a son named Gavin." He waited for her reaction.

"Walk with me." She extended her hand. He hesitated before taking it.

Together they walked through the village to the bridge crossing the pond. It still had the lily pads he remembered. Oddly enough, the water was clear and not bloody. He found it curious since the fresh rivers and lakes back on Earth weren't yet.

Laira stopped and took a deep breath. He felt her squeeze his hand. "I missed you."

"You understand that I had to leave?"

"I understood."

A wind brushed against his cheek, almost like the breath of God. In that quiet touch was a healing Jack didn't fully understand.

"I—" she began. She released his hand. "I have—" She stopped again.

"What's wrong?" He was concerned for her.

"Jack, I should have sent you a message, but when it was someone else who came to negotiate the terms, I—" She shook her head. "I couldn't."

"Laira, what is it?" He felt compassion for her, and the memory of their love lingered.

"You had a daughter," she finally blurted out. "She was taken when all the children were."

He felt like the ground had been pulled out from beneath him. Suddenly he was sitting in the dirt and Laira was kneeling beside him.

"Jack?" She sounded scared and worried, but his mind was whirling too fast fast for him to take much notice.

"Oh, God," he moaned, and buried his face in his hands.

* * *

Terry Gardner glanced back at the village and slipped inside the ship. Fooling the believers was easy. All she'd had to do was smear a mark on her forehead and they all thought she was one of them.

"Fools." She went to the com device and sent a signal. A gleeful smile touched her lips. She'd waited very patiently for this opportunity. Since this was the first time she'd been off planet and not constantly watched, she'd grabbed it. Carpathia would reward her for the capture of several members of SG-1. Not to mention the location of their main base.

She received an acknowledgement and she quickly hid the reply. No need to tip the traitors off.

* * *

"Jack," Laira pleaded, "please. I wanted to tell you..."

He glanced at her, aware of the dampness on his cheeks. He took both her hands in his. "It's okay. I'll see her."

"How? She is gone."

"Because I'm saved, through Jesus Christ." He pulled her down next to him. "Our daughter is in heaven."

"How do you know?"

"I know, Laira. Listen...I want to tell you about Jesus...and how to be saved. You can see our daughter again, too."

"I named her Aina," she told him quietly. Then she looked at him strangely. "How can I see her now that she's gone?"

"It's a beautiful name...and I'll tell you." In the quiet of the evening he told her about his experiences over the past few years, since the rapture. He told her of Jesus and how to be saved. She listened, although he wondered if she believed him.

"I must think on what you've told me," she said, and rested her head on his shoulder.

He felt disappointment, but remembered how long it had taken others. His lips touched her forehead. "Take all the time you need," he said gently.

He didn't want her to. One never knew what could happen.

* * *

"Excellency." An aid timidly approached Carpathia's desk.

"What is it?" He glared at the man. Carpathia was still furious about the failed attempt to capture Woolsey.

The other swallowed. "We have a signal from one of our agents. Members of SG-1 are on a planet called Edora."

With a triumphant whoop, the world's leader was out of his chair. "Excellent!"

"Should I alert Stargate Command to assemble a team?"

"Yes. Oh, Yes. I want the prisoners brought directly to me."

The aid bowed. "Immediately, Excellency."

* * *

The eldest member of the Henry clan hobbled over the warped hardwood floors and carefully pulled back the curtains his wife, now raptured, had lovingly hung there when they'd first bought their house. He didn't see any GC or anyone else for that matter. Good.

Lucky for him, their home had been built with a hidden storm shelter. His son, Larry, had helped him years ago stock it and prepare it for any possible danger. Tornadoes, though rare, were not unheard of in Colorado nor were blizzards, high wind storms, and other dangers common to the prairies.

He took a deep breath and tried to avoid seeing the family photos sitting on the old stone fireplace. Larry he hadn't seen since the soldier had taken a top secret assignment—one he'd become convinced wasn't the usual kind. There had been letters, but they'd stopped just after the mass disappearance. He'd also lost both his daughters, his grandson and his wife.

"I should be mad at you, God," he muttered. "But I'm grateful. It finally brought me to you." He'd spent months reading the Bible and listening to the illegal broadcasts of various religious leaders. He knew what had happened. Larry, his pastor son, had warned him. So had his wife.

"I'll see you soon," he vowed as he shuffled back through the house and down the stairs to his shelter. It was almost time for another broadcast from Petra.

* * *

Colonel Charles Savoy was going somewhere. When Woolsey had proved a traitor and then been killed, he'd been appointed the new commanding officer of Stargate Command. He checked his crisp uniform and marched out of his office and to the gate room. His most important mission yet was about to begin.

"Men," he addressed the group of heavily armed soldiers standing at the end of the metal ramp. "We have an opportunity today to capture several dangerous traitors." He made sure to make eye contact with every one of them. "Today, we bring back SG-1."

There was a restless rustle of noise which quickly faded. "These orders come directly from His Excellency himself." He wanted them to understand the importance of their mission. "Activate the gate."

* * *

It was dark when the soldiers emerged from the stargate, their guns raised to their shoulders. They were in enemy territory. None of them noticed the ravaged land. They had a mission—bring back SG-1 and any other traitors they found.

* * *

Jack wasn't sure what had awakened him as he sat up on the simple bed in the main room of Laira's house. It was dark. He fumbled for the flashlight under his pillow and pulled on his clothes and boots quickly. The sense of danger was increasing.

He made his way over to where Sam and her husband were sleeping. He closed his hand over her mouth and waited until he felt her faint nod before removing it.

"Get dressed. I think we have company."

O'Neill went to the door and looked out. Shadows seemed to be moving in the faint pre-dawn light. He could see things ducking around corners and farm equipment.

"Oh, God," he begged. The few weapons they had would never fend off a large invading force.

"I see them," Sam said very quietly. "If we can get to the ship, we'd have a better chance."

"We're cut off." He could see more shadows moving. They were approaching the houses and Jack didn't want anyone to get hurt. "We knew we might not all survive until Christ returned again." He thought of Gavin as an orphan and wanted to shout at God for the unfairness of it all. His son had already lost his mother. Now, it looked as if he were about to lose his father was well.

"Never fair is it, sir?" Sam asked, as if she knew his thoughts.

"Life never has been."

There was silence for a moment. Then, "Uh, sir..." Sam sounded puzzled.

"What?"

"Look." She pointed at a brightness growing in the town's center.

"What the—?" Granted, they'd seen more than their fair share of strange things and miracles, but what was going on?

A glowing angel emerged from the bright light. In its hands it welded a huge sword. There was the sound of gunfire, causing Sam and Jack to duck down, followed by the terrified screams of men dying.

"What's going on?" Simon demanded.

"Get down." Sam grabbed her husband, forcing him to sit on the floor.

The noise went on for several minutes, until there was a deathly silence. Jack slowly got up and gazed outside. All around the angel the bodies of GC soldiers were laying, their heads lolling far from their torsos.

"Whoa," was all Jack could say.

"_This is a place of safety that God set aside long ago. The enemies of our Lord are not welcome here_."

Jack opened the door. He saw that all the people of village were doing the same. Many of them were terrified. He saw the nurse emerge from a house on the other side of the main area. At least he finally knew where she was.

"I thought Petra was the only safe haven," Jack heard himself say.

Laughter emerged from the angel sounding like a joyous chair. "Not so, Jack O'Neill. God in his foreknowledge knew other such places would be needed—places other than on Earth."

"And Edora is one of those places?" He couldn't quite believe it.

"There is a planet to each galaxy." The angel looked upward as if hearing a voice they could not. "I am to tell you that many you knew in Atlantis have found the sanctuary given to Pegasus, and are safe."

Atlantis! With everything they'd been through, he'd almost forgotten about Weir, Sheppard, McKay and the others. "Thank you," he whispered in amazement.

"From now forward, this is a protected place." A smile touched the shining lips. "Laira, you and your people are blessed."

He felt the woman he'd once loved take his arm. When he glanced at her he saw that on her forehead was the mark of the believer, and he had to do a double take.

Then he felt only relief.

"I am honored," she whispered.

Briefly Jack saw the angel's eyes drift to Sam and Simon and thought he saw a flash of pity before God's messenger disappeared. The bodies and heads of the soldiers shimmered away, leaving only piles of dust.

"At least we don't have to bury them," Simon said quietly.

"Thank you, God," Sam agreed, leaning against her husband.

"I must speak with my people. I must tell them of Christ," Laira said immediately. She pulled Jack with her as she gathered everyone around her, to share her newfound faith—though not much convincing was needed, after the miraculous sight of the angel.

Several things bothered Jack. How had the GC found them? Would they try to invade Edora again? If they did, what new miracles would God perform to protect His chosen sanctuary?

At the thought of the last, Jack felt almost sorry for the GC.


	78. Oh, Father!

Note from Dragonlots: Quick question for all the LB SG readers – I have an original book currently half completed where I'm using Major Lawrence Henry and his sisters as the main characters. It's called _God's Gift_. Anyone interested in getting a peek?

Jake is named in honor of a dog my sister owned many years ago. He was the sweetest beagle mix. Lige & Callie Henry are named in memory of my grandparents. (I have posted a FF TBBA story called 'Final Gift' about their deaths.)

There is also "Left Behind Stargate Atlantis" along with several prequel stories I've completed. They are "Near Seduction", "Christmas Stargate Style", "Christmas Stargate Atlantis Style", "Halloween Dance" and "The Christmas Trip."

Note from ChristianGateFan: Hey ya'll! Thanks for continuing to read. We're both really glad you're still around. Please don't forget to review if you're still enjoying the story! Thanks so much, and God bless! :)

Chapter 78

Carpathia had the windows wide open welcoming the bright sunshine. He stood with his back to the door and turned slightly to see to what the aid, who had crept into his office, wanted. He straightened his tie and waited expectantly.

"Excellency," the aid hesitated. "We've received word back from the SGC."

"And?" His mouth watered at the spectacle he intended to make of these traitors. It was all planned out in his mind. It would all take place in New Babylon.

"There was a problem."

"What!" he shrieked, fury turning his face into something so ugly the aid looked away.

"Colonel Savoy reported that the assault team didn't return."

Nicolae ground his teeth and spit out each word. "Did he send another team?"

"He tried. The gate shut down when he entered the address."

"So," he rubbed his hands together. "They're trapped on Edora." He smiled widely. This might be a good exercise for the recently completed Apollo.

"Uh, no Excellency."

"Explain."

"The Colonel said, and I quote," the aid removed a note pad from his suit pocket and opened it. "A loud voice addressed us saying, 'You will be unable to dial Edora unless you are a Child of God seeking sanctuary. The Most High will know the difference and stop any invading force. If you try again the gate will automatically shut down. Your soldiers are dead.'"

"Get out!" Carpathia screamed. The aid fled. The world leader's eyes glared heavenward. "This is MY time. Stop interfering!"

He thought he heard amused laughter drift down in response.

* * *

"Jack." Sam hurried into the common room where everyone from the village was sharing a simple breakfast of bread and some sort of mush. She handed him a message. Her hand shook slightly. "We just got this in from Daniel."

Seeing her expression and worrying alreay, Jack quickly read it. "Oh, Father," he prayed. He closed his eyes and felt Laira's hand close over his. Someone took the paper from him and he didn't try to stop them. The news stabbed at his heart, twisting so deep he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"I would say we need to return," he heard Simon say.

"I agree." He noted the quiver in Sam's voice.

"I will be here when you return," Laira reassured him.

"Someone find that nurse and let's go," Jack ordered. He shakily got to his feet, his unfinished breakfast forgotten. Garan darted for the door. He assumed the young man would find the fourth member of their party.

The trip back to the ship was a blur as the four bid Laira's people a hasty goodbye. Sam took the pilot's chair. Their ship lifted off and Jack barely saw the raised hands waving. He retreated to the cargo bay and sank to his knees, praying they arrived back at their base before it was too late.

* * *

Night came and went and Carl still hadn't returned. Woolsey paced the upper cathedral area, checking out both windows watching for his host. Branches shivered outside and Richard began to feel cooped up. He darted out a side entrance onto one of the welded wire walkways.

Keeping his hand against the stone, he edged toward one of the higher points. Not that the meshed point looked any safer than what he was currently walking on. Carefully he stepped onto the shaky stairs and forced himself not to look down. It would be a long drop if the structure failed.

At the top he paused, looking over the wooded area. Nothing seemed to be moving. He started to climb back down when he saw a faint shape creeping toward the castle. It stopped, stayed there for several minutes, started moving again, and stopped. A faint hurting howl reached his ears.

"Oh, no." Quickly but cautiously, Woolsey climbed back down the stairs and made his way to one of the exits. Hoping he didn't get lost, he worked his way up the hill to where he thought he'd seen the shape.

"Jake!" He kneeled down beside the wounded dog. Several long scratches bled on the canine's back. Jake's tail wagged weakly and he licked Richard's hand. "Where's Carl?"

As if Jake understood his question, the dog lifted his muzzle and released a mournful wail.

* * *

Lige Henry had no idea what he was doing driving his truck past the military housing and up into the mountains. He'd been awakened from a deep sleep just a couple hours earlier with a sense of urgency forcing him to get up. After a hasty breakfast, he'd packed food, water and other supplies into the back of his pick up. He even found his youngest daughter's ginger tabby cat and pushed the reluctant feline into the cab before heading out.

He'd passed near several GC patrols who seemed to be systematically searching abandoned homes. None had seen him. Maybe that was why God had gotten him up, to keep him from being captured.

However, it didn't explain why he was driving snaky roads and going further and further away from his home. Still, it was better than being a 'guest' of the GC. He knew what the outcome would be and had a sense God had something else in mind.

The image of Bishop's Castle fluttered into his thoughts. He knew the place. The last 'family' vacation they'd gone there. It had been just before Larry had left to wherever his new assignment had taken him.

Enjoying the pretty scenery and trying to ignore the purring in his ear as the dad-blamed cat was draped out on the seat top, Lige kept going, seeming to know speed was of the essence. He needed to do something. What, he didn't know, but he had no intention of failing his creator.

* * *

SG-1's capture had not gone according to plan and Terry was furious. She plastered on a happy face for the sake of the others and retreated to a far corner. Her eyes watched Sam and Simon in front and then darted to the closed cargo door. O'Neill was back there. He obviously didn't want to be bothered.

Not that they'd shared what the message had been which had sent them scurrying back to base. She just wished she'd had the foresight to send the location when she'd sent her first transmission.

The back of her right hand itched and she tried not to scratch it. It would destroy the make up she had on it to cover the fact she bore the mark. They still didn't know she'd betrayed them. She wanted to keep it that way, at least, until they were successfully captured.

In the meantime, she'd keep playing her game and hope for another opportunity. Eventually, one of them would make a mistake she could use.

She couldn't wait for that to happen.

* * *

After Vala fed Kelana and put their daughter down for a nap, she checked on Gavin, who was asleep on a cot nearby. She tucked the blanket under his chin and tip toed out.

She joined her husband in the main part of their quarters. She put an arm around Daniel's shoulders and noticed he was reading from Psalms.

"I like the way King David put his heart into them," she said quietly.

"It was his way to cry out to God." Daniel closed his Bible. "Reminds me of the songs Steven Curtis Chapman sang after his daughter died."

Vala sort of knew the story. The singer had lost his adopted daughter in a tragic accident. They'd found in a magazine after the rapture. They'd also found many Christian CD's in their supplies and she wondered who had had time to go find them.

"When—" She didn't say it. "At least we know we'll see him again, when—" Again, she didn't finish. She knew Daniel understood what she meant.

"It doesn't make it easier."

"I know." She hugged him, letting his head rest against her. "I sent a message to Jack and Sam."

"Thank you." He raised his head to look up her. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

A slight smile tugged at the edge of his lips. "Took you long enough."

"As if I need to be reminded." She ran her fingers through his hair.

"The kids are asleep?"

She nodded.

"Good. Come here." He moved so he could pull her down onto his lap.

"Daniel..." she half protested, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. He needed her.

* * *

Somehow, Woolsey managed to carry Jake down the hill and into the lower area. He washed the wounds as best he could and settled the dog on Carl's sleeping bag. Richard sat with his back propped against the wall and the canine's head on his leg. His hand slowly stroked the smooth head and he shut his mind to what had probably happened to his host.

Jake whined. Richard reached for the canteen he'd set close earlier and cupped his hand to put some water in it. The dog lapped it up and closed his brown eyes.

"Don't die," Woolsey pleaded. "Please, God, don't let the dog die." He care if he sounded near to pathetic even to his own ears. He didn't want to be alone.

He must have drifted off, because the next thing he remembered was hearing the honking of a car horn. He frowned and carefully got up. Jake wagged his tail weakly, but didn't move.

"I'll be right back."

Richard hurried out and down the incline to the stone wall. He gazed through the peek hole and saw a gray haired man standing outside by a truck, pushing the horn through an open window.

"Who are you?" Woolsey demanded.

"Name's Lige Henry."

Henry. The name was familiar, although he didn't know why. "What are you doing here?"

"God sent me!"

The man turned so Richard saw could see the mark of the Believer on his forehead. "Thank you, God." He tossed the rope ladder over. "Sorry. There's no other way."

"I'm not that old. Might want to come help me with these supplies though. "

Woolsey scrambled over and between the two of them they managed to get everything over to the other side, including a cat who deigned to sniff Richard's fingers before trotting away, orange tail up, to explore its new home.

"My daughter's cat," Lige explained. "His name is Leli."

"Not sure what Jake will think of him."

"Jake?"

"My host Carl has a dog."

"So you're not alone here."

"I wasn't." Richard didn't feel like explaining. He lifted several boxes and headed for the castle.

"Hmmm." Lige grabbed several himself and followed.

It took a couple of trips to get all the new supplies settled into the lower area. Lige sat on a bench and wiped his craggy forehead. He squinted at the dog. "Looks like claw marks. Might have been a cougar or a bear."

"No idea. I found Jake this morning."

"Clean the wounds?"

"The best I could."

Lige moved off the bench and went through a couple of boxes. He pulled out a large container of apple cider vinegar.

"What's that for?" Woolsey asked.

"My wife Callie was into natural medicines." Lige pulled out some cotton balls and some bandages. "It'll probably sting but we need to clean the dog's wounds again." Rummaging through the sparse dishes, his new guest found a bowl and poured some of the amber liquid into it. "You hold the dog's head and try not to get bit."

Richard did as he was told. Lige cleaned the area as quickly and gently as he could. Jake tried to turn his head to snap, but Woolsey held on as tight as he could without hurting the dog.

"We need to let Jake here rest." The older man lightly patted the dog's stomach. "I'm going to mix some vinegar into his water."

"Will it help?"

"It won't hurt."

* * *

The machine beside Hammond's bed beeped weakly. Carolyn checked the read-out again. Nothing had changed.

"I know that look," the general weakly said.

She took his hand. "It's my stoic doctor's look," she tried to joke back.

"I know I'm dying. You don't have to sugar-coat it."

"Do you need anything? Want anything?"

"Could someone read from Psalms for me?"

"I will." She ducked under the sheet, grabbing a chair and her Bible that she always kept on her desk. Dr. Lam sat down beside him. "Anything special?"

He barely shook his head. "Anything."

Randomly she opened her Bible and found herself in Psalms.

"Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come."

She skipped the next verse. It didn't fit the current situation.

"Blessed is the man who thou chooset, and causet to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple."

Looking up, she noticed he'd already fallen asleep, though that wasn't his fault. She glanced at the readings on the monitor. They were weak but steady. _Oh, Father._ She didn't know what else to pray. Still, sometimes, volumes could be spoken in only a few words.

(KJV Psalms 65: 1-2 & 4)

* * *

Leli discovered the dog first. Richard watched as the cat tentatively sniffed Jake and jumped back when the canine lifted his head. He heard the tail beat against the sleeping bag in what he hoped was a friendly greeting.

He heard Lige chuckle. "Leli gets along with everyone. That seems to include dogs as well as other cats."

"I hope so. I'd hate to have Jake chasing him."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. Leli would put him in his place quick enough."

Woolsey would have bet there was a story there, but his new companion didn't elaborate.

Leli sat down on his haunches and proceeded to bath himself as though the dog were completely forgotten. When he finished, the cat approached Jake again and snuggled against the canine's side. Jake's tail slapped against the bag at a mad pace.

"I think they're friends," Richard commented.

"Don't surprise me," Lige smiled. "So...tell me about yourself, Richard Woolsey."

"Until recently, I worked in Cheyenne Mountain."

"That a fact? My son went to work on some top secret project that had _something_ to do with that mountain, but the Lord knows I never had any idea what it was."

"Who was your son?"

"Corporal Lawrence Henry."

Richard's eyebrows went up. No wonder the name was familiar!

"My boy was a cook, and a pastor," Lige continued.

"Raptured?"

"I'm assuming so. He was saved when he was very young, same as my daughters."

Now he was beginning to remember. Dr. Susanna Gates had originally been among those chosen for the Atlantis mission. For some reason, she'd backed out but had pushed for her brother to be part of it.

"I know which mission he was part of," Woolsey admitted.

"And I'd bet you can't tell me."

"Well, it _is_ classified."

"Still? After all that's happened?" Lige got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. "In a couple of years I'll know the truth anyway, I guess."

After a bit more thought, Woolsey made the decision to tell him. "Corporal Henry was sent to Atlantis."

The older man sipped his coffee. "Wasn't that some sort of Greek myth?"

"It apparently had more than a little basis in fact."

"Interesting." He sat back down. "Care to tell me?"

"I don't suppose there's any reason why I shouldn't—not anymore." He also poured himself a cup of the coffee. "It's a long story, though."

"We don't have anything but time right now."

* * *

Gerrow approached Jenny and Shane while they were eating dinner. "I want your group to start moving out tonight."

"Problem?" Shane asked.

A shadow fell over their leader's face. "I hope not."

"What about the families?" Jenny was scared for all of the younger children currently living in the cave.

"We've got it covered." He glanced away. "Gather everyone quietly and head out while we have Bible study tonight."

Shane nodded, and moved away.

"I hope they haven't found us," Jenny whispered.

Shane took her hand and kissed her cheek. "It'll be okay. Remember, we're all in God's hands."

"Yeah...I know. I know. I just hate to think of the GC getting a hold of the children."

"God will protect them. Don't worry."

They finished their dinner and went to get their bags. They put them by the front entrance before going through the sleeping areas and the main room to alert the rest of their group. Later, after the Bible study started, the ten young people gathered by the door.

Shane bowed his head. "Father, keep us safe on this journey. Protect everyone we leave behind. If you see fit, thank you for blinding the GC soldiers and anyone else we encounter who isn't yours. We ask this in your son's precious name, Amen."

"Amen," many in the group echoed.

Jenny and Shane grabbed their bags and eased the door open. No one seemed to be in sight. The sun was just beginning to set, sending rays of glorious blues, pinks and oranges across the low-lying clouds.

"You got the map?" one of the other young men inquired.

"I know where we're going," Shane answered. He led them out and along the downward trail. The trees rustled as the usual evening breeze kicked up. Pine needles crackled under their shoes.

"We'll be married soon," he said just loud enough for Jenny to hear.

She blushed. "In a ghost town," she joked back.

He shrugged. "Where doesn't matter. From what Mr. Gerrow told me, it's absolutely beautiful."

"I bet it has a history, too."

"All ghost towns do." He looked over his shoulder to make sure the others were following. "Our group is smaller than first planned."

"Well, some have left already."

"I know."

They were quiet for a few minutes as the dark shadow of night descended on the mountain. Shortly it was replaced with the faint light of the moon, and Shane pulled out his flashlight.

"Watch your step, everyone!" he called.

In the distance was the cry of a cougar, and the yipping of several coyotes. Jenny hoped they left the group of travelers unmolested.

"We're going to be fine." Shane squeezed her hand.

"I know. God is watching over us." For the last time, she wondered if she should have stayed as Sam told her to. Jenny stopped briefly.

"You okay?"

After a moment she nodded. "I'm fine." Sam would understand. She was sure of it. Trusting Shane to guide her, they kept journeying down the mountain.

* * *

Sam gazed forward at the blazing white-blue of hyperspace. A sudden feeling spoke to her, and she quickly prayed for Jenny's safety. She had no idea what was going on.

"I've just prayed for Jenny," Simon said then. Sam nodded to let him know that she had, too—that they'd both had the same feeling. He reached over and took her hand. "She's fine."

"I hope so."

"We have no way of finding out, I'm assuming?" There was a questioning in his voice.

Sam tried to relax. "We don't."

"Let's just concentrate on getting back to base as quickly as we can." He got up and stood beside his wife, squeezing her shoulders gently. "I know you and Jack will want a chance to say good bye to General Hammond."

"If we get there in time." _Oh, Father, may we get in there in time!_


	79. Loss

Note from Dragonlots: 'Chandra's Gift', my first pro short story is available at this free online ezine: Lorelai Signal. It will also be featured in the printed edition 'Mystic Signals' available sometime in May. (Edit from ChristianGateFan - She had a direct link, but it won't let you post those in any way, shape, or form here. It's weird. I tried several things to make it come out, and it didn't. So if you need a link, you cam message her, I suppose.)

Chapter 79

The beeps on the monitor were becoming more irregular by the hour, and Carolyn sat holding Hammond's hand. There was nothing more she could do for him. His chest rose shakily, fell, and when she feared it might not lift again, it did.

Sensing movement, she glanced up as the sheet was pulled back. Her father stood there with a worried look on his face. "You should rest," he told her.

She shook her head, pushing a bit of hair out of her eyes. He released a breath as he lookied at her and it seemed to take forever before he took another.

"Carolyn..." Landry rested his hand on her shoulder. "You've done everything you can," he said gently.

"I was hoping Jack and Sam would be here."

"I know Dr. Jackson sent them a message. They'll be here when they can."

Her tired mind noted a second figure had joined them.

"How's he doing?" Daniel asked. His anxious eyes passed over the still figure of the man that Carolyn knew had always meant so much to the original SG-1 team, and her throat clogged all over again.

"We're losing him," Landry replied quietly.

* * *

Lige shook his head in wonder. Imagine! Traveling to other galaxies and living in mythical cities. What stories his son would have to share when he saw him again!

"We lost contact with the Atlantis mission several years back." Woolsey shrugged apologetically. "I'm afraid we have no idea if any of them are still alive." He rose from his seat and re-filled his coffee mug. "Or if the Odyssey found them and – " He couldn't finish the thought. It was too horrible.

"Have to trust the good Lord and figure He knows what He's doing. Besides, we'll know soon enough anyway."

"Carpathia has control of Earth and several other planets."

"Quite a little kingdom." Lige winked. "But God's is bigger." Jake shifted on the sleeping bag and whined. Leli licked the dog's muzzle as if to comfort the canine. "Funny how Jeanine made me promise to take care of her cat if anything happened to her." Lige put down his now-empty cup. "Guess she had good reasons, even if I didn't understand them at the time."

Richard nodded, although he sensed God trying to tell him something. He just didn't understand the message. "I think we're going to be moving on soon."

Lige chuckled. "Our hideout _does _seem to be a bit conspicuous. I'm sure God has a better place in mind."

* * *

After Jack had left, Laira spent time thinking, praying, and remembering. Her new responsibilities as not only the head of their village, but also as their spiritual leader, weighed heavily on her. She felt so inadequate.

Not to mention that their world was to be a sanctuary for any believer who came there!

Still, one thing was on her mind tonight. Jack O'Neill. "What am I to do about him, Lord?" she asked. "I still care deeply for him, and I think...I might..." She fought herself to say the words. "I might love him still."

She waited, hoping, God would give her a clear answer. All she heard was the wind drifting across the valley, tickling the fast-growing grass and shuffling along the straw roofs.

"I suppose I will just have to wait and see what You have in mind," she finally said.

* * *

Their ship settled in its hiding spot, Sam checked to make sure all the systems were shut down before she moved to exit the ship. Simon was right behind her, and lightly she rapped on the hold door. "Sir, we've arrived."

Several long moments passed before the door slid open and he was standing there. Jack just nodded and the three hurried out, along the path and back into the crystal-grown hideout. They passed several people, and no one moved to stop them. When they reached the medical area Sam found herself wondering if they were too late. Shaking, terrified, she approached the bed of their once leader and now fast friend. Simon's hand found hers and she squeezed it gently.

Jack moved around the couple and went to stand beside Daniel. Sam felt herself smile, glad at least that the two friends still had each other...that _all_ of them that were still part of this mortal coil were together now. She knew they were going to need each other.

"It won't be long," she heard Carolyn say.

* * *

Hammond's eyes fluttered open. Around him he could see Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter and her husband Simon, Daniel Jackson, Hank Landry and Dr. Carolyn Lam.

Beyond them stood Tealc, Colonel Caldwell...and so many others that for so long he'd never thought to see again—not until he found the hope he had now. Then he saw the face of the one he'd longed to see, and he knew that hope was about to be fulfilled.

"You've come for me," he whispered.

The figure clothed in robes of times long past extended his hand, and the smile on his rugged face was welcoming. "I've been waiting for you."

"Good bye...my friends," George managed.

Then he stepped from one world into the next, where his Savior embraced him.

* * *

The heart monitor flat-lined. Carolyn heard the soft collective gasp as everyone realized General George Hammond was gone.

Sam buried her face against her husband's chest and wept. Daniel closed his eyes, and tears slipped down his cheeks. Jack O'Neill swallowed and she could see he was fighting to keep his emotions in check.

"Good bye, old friend," her father whispered. "We'll be seeing you soon." He offered his arms and Carolyn freely wept on his shoulder.

* * *

Jenny woke to sunlight in her eyes, and she blinked a couple of times and sat up. Shane groaned a little and turned on his side, tugging his jacket tighter over his torso. With a slight smile she got up, careful not to disturb him or any of the rest of their group.

Pushing aside the draping heavy boughs, she gazed out. Nothing moved on the mountain. All around granite boulders stood watch over their bed of pine needles. The sun was low in the sky so she guessed maybe it was late in the day.

They'd taken refuge under the tree's branches as the sun had begun to peek. Jenny remembered the pinkish-orange streaks and the cool wind accompanying the day's beginning. She'd seen a few birds and heard the songs they'd sung.

She took a deep breath of thin but clean air. When the sun set, they'd eat and then work their way further down the mountain. There was supposed to be a truck waiting for them to take them to their new refuge.

A hand on her shoulder made her gasp, and when she spun Shane grinned sheepishly at her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

"I thought you were still asleep."

He ran his fingers through his hair and grimaced. "The first thing I'm gonna do when we get to Gilman is wash up."

Jenny nodded. She needed a bath as well. "That makes two of us."

Shane slipped an arm around her. "Sure is pretty here. Funny, I never really noticed before."

"You were busy with other stuff; college, and your friends and –"

"Hey! I was no different from anyone else!"

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "I'm guilty of the same."

"Gerrow told me there's an old mine we can hide in if we have to; says it's down the mountain at the cliff base near the river."

"How do we get there?"

"No idea." He playfully hugged her close. "I guess we'll find out."

* * *

Woolsey slept fitfully through the day after he and his new companion had stayed up all night talking about the Atlantis mission. He glanced over at Lige Henry, who had his arm slung over his face and was covered with a colorful quilt.

Jake wagged his tail and whined, and hopeful brown eyes met Richard's. He crawled out of his sleeping bag and the dog managed to get to his feet and headed for the stairs. Leli deigned to open one eye to see what was going on before closing it again.

Outside the wind blew slightly. Dust danced over the stones and over the incomplete bridge. Jake nosed around various spots before doing his business and returning to Richard's side. He rubbed the beagle mix head. The scratches didn't seem to be any worse; in fact, they looked much better.

"Looks like you'll live."

Jake yipped and trotted beside him. They walked down to the road and then back to the castle. Woolsey wasn't in the mood to return to the underbelly, so he walked along the outside. His fingers reached out and touched the stones, and he marvelled at the structure once again. The entire place was a work of beauty and love.

Was this how God saw him, Richard suddenly wondered? As a masterpiece He put together and then worked into the image He always had in mind?

The comparison caused Woolsey to sink to his knees. There were tears streaming down his face and he didn't care. He was so thankful for a God who loved him as much – no, more – than the handiwork of a man obviously in love with his creation.

* * *

Laira had seen Jack in mourning before, but the expression on his face and that of every other person coming through the gate tore at her heart. He was among the six men who carried a draped body on a stretcher.

He didn't meet her eyes. Maybe he didn't want her to see his pain.

She greeted the older man in uniform. "I'm Laira."

"General Hank Landry, ma'am. With your permission, we would um...we'd like to bury our friend here."

"I see...of course." She understood about death. She'd lost her husband and many of her people in the past. "If you'll follow me."

The group followed her through the village, and many of her people stopped to watch. Some joined them as she lead the way to an area about a half mile away. In a meadow, now covered in yellow and white flowers, lay the centuries of dead who had once lived. When Jack's comrades looked at her again, as if for an answer to some sort of question, she realized what they wanted to know.

Laira scanned the field, the places still available for burial, and finally her eyes rested on a spot she felt was Jack would appreciate. She pointed to an area where a tree grew alone.

"Thank you," Landry said quietly.

Several soldiers separated from the group and began to dig. She glanced down, not wanting to remember when she'd placed her husband into the ground. The hurt was old, but it still, sometimes, could sting.

When the grave was deep enough, those those who had carried their dead friend lifted the body from the stretcher and lowered it into the dirt. They each grabbed a hand-full and rverently dropped it in, before moving away. Simon, who she remembered meeting earlier, stood at the edge of the grave.

"Today," his voice rang out, "we come to celebrate the life of General George Hammond. Our brother in Christ is in heaven today, and we will miss him." There was a silence, broken by quiet sobbing.

Laira worked her way through the group to stand at Jack's side. She reached out and took his hand.

"But we also rejoice, for we know he is with the Lord." Simon stepped aside.

Another, Dr. Daniel Jackson, took his place. She noticed he limped and had to use a cane to steady himself on the uneven sod. "I remember when I rejoined the SGC..."

She glanced up at Jack. Tears ran down his face, and he didn't even try to wipe them away.

When Dr. Jackson finished, others spoke or shared memories. She didn't know how long they all stood there. Finally, when no one else wanted to talk, Simon said a final word.

"We'll see you soon."

No one moved at first. Jack squeezed her fingers. "Thanks for being here," he said softly.

"You're welcome."

Small groups broke away and the soldiers who had dug the grave began to bury the body.

She felt a shudder run through Jack. "I need a few minutes."

"Of course." Laira released his hand. "When you're ready, I will be here to listen."

* * *

"I wanted to go!" Gavin pouted. He put his hands on his hips and glared at Adria.

The older woman sighed and put Kelana back in her crib. "Your daddy said it would be better if you stayed here."

"Not fair!" He stomped off and sat down on the floor.

"To a child your age, nothing ever is," Adria said. She tucked the covers around her sleeping granddaughter and kissed the child's forehead. "Sleep well." When she turned around she waggled her finger at Gavin. "Now, don't you go and wake her up!"

"Wanted to go," he repeated.

"Your daddy lost a friend," she explained again. "He needed some time to himself."

"But he went with Uncle Daniel and Aunt Vala and Aunt Sam and—"

"They all went to bury their friend. It was an grown-up thing," she said gently.

He looked at the floor. "Like mama?"

How he'd managed to make the jump there Adria wasn't sure. "What do you mean?"

"Mama went away to heaven, too."

"Then yes, like your mama."

With his finger he drew a pattern on the floor. "I miss her."

Her heart broke for the youngster. She squatted beside him. "I know you do. It's hard to lose a mother."

"But, I'll see her when Jesus comes." He looked up at her. "Right?"

"Right." She didn't know what else to say.

"Daddy back soon?"

"Yes, he'll be back soon."

"Good." He got up. "Can I make him a surprise?

"Uh..." She wasn't sure what he meant. "I guess. What kind of surprise?"

Gavin grinned. "You'll see!" He ran to the corner and started opening a couple of boxes. Adria just hoped it would keep him busy and that he didn't break anything they'd need later.

Jacek entered the room and frowned in confusion. "What's he doing?"

"Apparently he's making some sort of surprise for his father."

"Vala used to do that when she was little." He grinned at the memory. "Sometimes it was some trinket she'd found, or a picture she'd drawn."

Gavin trotted over, lugging some paper and crayons. He sat down and intently began to draw.

"See?" He pointed.

Adria nodded. "I guess I have a lot to learn about children."

"You're going to be a wonderful grandmother." He hugged his wife. "You'll see."

* * *

Most of the group went back through the Stargate. There were a few who stayed and ate dinner with the village, and Jack was amon them. Laira handed him some bread. He stared at it, and she she squeezed his shoulder gently. "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." He got up and went outside. She sat there for a moment and then followed.

She found him by the pond. The lily pads were floating in the water and a frog made a splash as he dived in trying to hide from them.

"I never even had time to mourn my wife," he said gruffly. He took a deep breath. "Now, I've just buried an old friend."

He'd come to her in grief again. Laira didn't know whether to smile or cry. Nor did she have a response. She only listened.

"George saved our lives so many times and I—" He swallowed as if it were difficult to speak. "I don't even know if I ever thanked him."

She touched his arm to let him know she was there for him.

Jack dropped to his knees. "Oh, God!" he moaned.

Laira sat beside him, and she closed her eyes and prayed. There was nothing else she could do to help ease Jack's pain and loss.


	80. In The Quiet

Note from Dragonlots: Anyone interested in reading 'Chandra's Gift' can find the link on my FFN profile page, since the system refused to allow it to be posted with the last chapter.

Also, according to my publisher, the first anthology I'm in, 'All About Eve' should be coming out soon. When it does, I'll post the link on my profile page as well.

Chapter 80

Chuck liked to drive trucks. Didn't matter to him what kind since he'd driven everything from a pick-up to a semi. Today, he was driving a half ton he'd been lucky enough to purchase at a state auction before the rapture. It was still bright orange complete with the working light on top of the cab, although there were a few scratches here and there. It might be easy to spot, but he hoped the GC would overlook it.

After all, what believer would drive something anyone could remember and identify? He grinned to himself and hummed a favorite hymn he remembered from his Sunday School days. Chuck hadn't found Jesus until after everyone he knew and loved had been raptured.

"Better late than never," he muttered to God. He always talked to the Father, particularly when he was running errands for the co-op.

He crested Monument Hill and started down the incline that would pass the two small towns of Palmer Lake and Monument. They were about twenty miles north of Colorado Springs.

The road wasn't in great repair. There were potholes and a split down the middle where grass was sneaking up through the asphalt. Even during these days nature was persistent. Chuck found it interesting.

He slowed and turned into the first town, which was now pretty much deserted. Several store signs were gone and some were just hanging. The wind tossed dust over the road.

"Sure is a mess, Lord."

Navigating through the new ghost town, he got onto the snaky narrow road leading up into the mountains. It wasn't the most direct route to pick up his passengers; Chuck just wanted to avoid the odd military presence he'd encounter if he continued on into the Springs.

Besides, he hadn't been four-wheeling in a long while, and since he had the excuse, he'd have himself a bit of fun.

* * *

Laira stared down at Jack's face. There were a few more lines around his eyes than she remembered and his brown hair was now completely gray. He mumbled in his sleep and she edged off the bed where she'd been sitting, praying for him all through the night.

She stifled a yawn and pulled her shawl around her chilled shoulders. The fire needed to be stoked. Leaning down, she added a few more logs and sat down on the rug she kept before it. The flames slowly warmed the room, making her drowsy after her sleepless night.

_It won't hurt just to rest for a little while,_ she thought, closing her eyes and laying down on her stomach, pillowing her head on her crossed arms.

The fire crackled and spit, and Laira relaxed and fell asleep.

* * *

Jack woke up slowly. That wasn't normal for him. Usually, he sprang out of bed ready for action. Or wished he could, at the very least. He rolled over and frowned, trying to remember where he was.

"Oh, yeah," he mumbled. Laira had managed to coax him back into the village at some point. Evidently, she'd gotten him to go to bed.

Tossing aside the rough blanket, he sat up, dangling his feet over the side. He glanced around and noticed Laira asleep on the floor. Her blondish hair spilled over her face. The normal long brown dress she wore was modestly covering her legs and she'd covered herself with just her shawl. Somehow, that didn't seem adequate to him. Not with some of the room still being chilly.

He scratched the back of his head and got up. Gently he lifted her up and put her to bed, covering her with the blanket. His fingers moved some hair out of her face.

"Thank you," he whispered. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, and then he sat back and really looked at her. She was still a beautiful woman, with a wonderful heart even more attractive now that she'd come to know Christ.

His eyes glanced upward. "What are You up to?"

* * *

The picture Gavin had drawn was lying on the table. Adria wasn't really sure what it was of, but it had been made with love. She hoped Jack O'Neill would appreciate the gift his son had made for him.

Jacek came in carrying several items. "Breakfast, my lady," he greeted her with a warm smile.

"Thank you."

He put them on the table, carefully avoiding Gavin's artwork. "Daniel, Vala, Sam, Simon and Jack stayed on Edora last night."

She nodded and sat down. "Will they be back today?"

"That would be an unknown." He opened a couple of packages and sniffed the contents, putting them down on the table. "I got some cereal for Gavin."

"I'm sure he'll like that."

"They only have powdered milk, so we'll have to add water." He held up another box. "Even have some sugar." He pointed to the opened packages. "Those are self heating. Our bacon and eggs should be done."

Adria pulled the package over, pulling out a bite. She tried it and shrugged. "Not great."

"Better than some of the rations I used to have on those trading ships." He sat down across from her, nibbling at the contents of the second package.

"You've never talked about those days."

"It was a long time ago, Adria; I'd prefer not to." He grimaced. "I was running away."

"From Vala?"

"From myself."

She reached across the table and took his hand. "You're not running away anymore, Jacek."

"No," he agreed, and smiled. "I'm not."

* * *

Chuck stopped by a stream to eat his lunch. It babbled happily in the background while the wind made the Aspens sing. He looked at his very dirty truck and grinned. It should always look like that, like it was well used and loved.

He tossed his wrappings from his eaten sandwich into a bag he kept behind the seat for trash. Grabbing his canteen, he drank from it and got back in. Time to get moving. In a few hours he'd be picking up his passengers to transport them to their new refuge. Or so he hoped. One never knew the exact time table. There were too many things that could throw something out of whack, too many dangers to avoid...and one had to be patient.

He jumped back in and got on the road. As he rounded a sharp corner, his mind barely registered the three deer on the dirt road. His foot hit the brake, the tires skidding on the rocks.

The next thing he knew the truck was tipping over the unguarded side. He heard the cracking pines as he tumbled down the mountain side. Briefly he hoped the downward motion would stop.

Instead, he was tossed over a cliff ledge and the next thing he heard was the angels singing.

* * *

"Sam?" Simon reached out to touch her arm as she stumbled. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She shook her head. "I was just a little dizzy, that's all."

"You _sure_ you're okay? We could wait and go back tomorrow." He didn't like how pale she was.

"Simon." Her eyes darted to Vala and Daniel just ahead of them on the road. "We need to get back."

He frowned and wasn't convinced. "I think you'd better have Carolyn take a look at you.'

"I'm just tired." Stubbornly she started forward. "And I didn't eat much last night," she added quietly. "I didn't sleep, either."

"I suppose..." He still had a sense something wasn't right, but knew better than to push.

When they arrived, Daniel had already dialed the gate. "Where's Jack?"

"He said he'd come back later today," Sam answered.

"Gavin isn't going to like that." Daniel observed, before he and Vala went through the wormhole.

"Probably not," Sam muttered as she and Simon followed.

On the other side Jacek and Adria were waiting with Kelana and Gavin. Vala rushed forward to embrace them and hold her daughter.

"Where's Daddy?" Gavin stretched his neck to look behind them.

"He's coming later," Daniel promised the child.

"Oh." His gaze dropped to the floor. "I made a present for him."

Daniel bent down, wishing he could get closer but knowing his leg wouldn't like it. It was still hard to get used to sometimes. "I'm sure he'll like it, Gavin." He wanted to hug the boy and reached out to do so, but Gavin stepped back. "Your dad just needed a little while."

"'Cause he lost a good friend," the boy said thoughtfully.

"Yeah...we all did."

Gavin shrugged.

Simon felt sorry for the boy. It wasn't easy for Gavin to really understand.

"Let's go back to our quarters." Daniel got up and extended his hand. Gavin stared at it briefly before he took it. "You can show me the present if you want."

The family group left together. Simon stared after them.

"I think I need to lie down," Sam said, wavering slightly. Simon caught her arm.

"You sure you shouldn't go see Carolyn?"

"I'm fine, Simon. Let's just go to our quarters, okay?" Her blue eyes pleaded with him.

Reluctantly he agreed. "Okay."

* * *

Carolyn glanced up from her desk and her heart raced as she saw Jar'en. He gave her a warm smile and raced across the room to embrace his wife.

"I have missed you," he said as he gave her a kiss.

"I missed you, too." She relaxed against him. "How are things with the Jaffa?"

"Fine." He pulled her tightly to him. "There has been no sign that the GC know where they are."

"That's good." Her husband had been gone for a couple of weeks now, along with Reynolds. They'd been making the rounds to the various settlements, to check up on security measures and make sure everyone had what they needed. Daniel had decided some time ago that such trips were necessary, and the rest of the 'board' had agreed.

Jar'en nodded, and then glanced around to make certain no curious nurses were nearby. "Do you have a couple of hours?"

Carolyn met his eyes, knowing what he was thinking, and smiled back micheviously. "I can get away for a while."

* * *

Shane, Jenny and the others in their group emerged from the trees and onto a dirt road. There was no-one there.

"So, our ride is supposed to meet us here?" Tim asked Shane.

"Sometime soon. We'll wait over there." Shane pointed to a grouping of boulders where they could watch the road but keep out of sight. He led everyone there and sat down, bracing his back against a granite rock. Jenny leaned against him. He liked the feel of her head on his shoulder.

The others scattered around. There were four women, including Jenny, and six guys. He hoped it didn't lead to any fights between the men. It would be bad if it did. They needed to work together.

"So." Jenny's voice interrupted his thoughts. "We're going to get married when we get there?"

"Yup." He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going to let you get away."

"Smart man." She closed her eyes. "I'm tired...think I'll take a nap."

"It's probably a good idea," he agreed. Shane wasn't certain if they'd be able to get any rest while they were traveling. They'd all have to keep an eye out for the GC soldiers.

She nodded and got quiet. Her breathing deepened and he felt her body relax.

"Sleep well," he whispered.

Shane watched as the others either slept or else talked quietly. The wind caused some dirt and pine needles to scamper through their hiding spot. A shadow passed overhead and he glanced up. With a smile he watched a hawk land in the top of the tree. The bird was so large it seemed odd the branch underneath it didn't break.

_Looking for its dinner I'd bet._ He couldn't remember what it ate. He'd never paid much attention. In fact, he doubted he'd even noticed them in the past, although he'd had a friend or two who had been avid bird watchers.

No, it had taken the world coming to an end for him to even appreciate what he had. He looked at Jenny and thanked God for His goodness. For the next couple of years and the eternity beyond he would have a woman he loved at his side. Conditions weren't ideal nor was it how he'd dreamed it would be, but...at least they'd have a future together.

Though if one of them died during the next couple of years, some of that endless time could be taken from them. They would be separated until the tribulation was over and those believers who had died during the seven years returned. He shuddered and said a quick prayer. _Please, Father, don't let that happen. Please._

* * *

Daniel heard the light rap on Jacek's and Adria's door. His mother-in-law, of sorts, hurried to answer it. She stepped back to allow Reynolds to enter.

"Sorry to interrupt," the soldier apologized, "but I figured you'd want to hear my report ASAP."

Vala got up from her place beside her husband and took the two children to the area behind the sheet. Adria went with her. Daniel knew it was a wise choice. The youngsters would have enough to deal with during the next few years. No reason to upset them if Reynolds had disturbing news. Jacek sat down in a chair nearby and pulled out his Bible.

With a nod the archeologist pointed to the chair on the other side of the table. Reynolds crossed the room and sat down. "Skaara sends his love; said he misses you and hopes you'll visit."

"I miss him, too." Daniel had taken Jack's advice and limited contact between the various refuges. It would keep them all much safer in the event one of them was compromised.

"Got a brief message from the Tok'ra as well," Reynolds continued. "They're wanting to move their base was well. It seems the GC set up camp on a neighboring planet."

His finger tapped on the table. To move the Tok'ra would be tricky. None of them wanted to attract attention. "We'll have to discuss it then, but we'll wait until Jack gets back."

"Where is he?"

"Edora." Daniel smiled. "God has it set up like Petra."

"You're serious? I didn't know God would do that!"

"None of us did." Daniel leaned forward. "We were also informed the Atlantis mission is safe."

"Praise God!" Reynolds hand hit the table. Several items skittered across the surface from the force.

Jacek glanced up before ignoring them again.

Daniel chuckled. "I have a feeling when Christ returns, the reunions are going to be joyous."

"Amen."

* * *

"You alright?" Lige asked when Woolsey returned.

"Fine."

Jake padded back to his spot on the sleeping bag, circled a couple of times and laid down. Leli hopped down from the ledge where he'd been washing. The cat sat near the dog's tail. It thumped on the fabric. Leli swatted at it before losing interest.

"Uh, huh." Lige put down the Bible he'd been reading. An empty cup sat next to the older man. "God has a powerful way of making Himself known."

"I won't argue there." Richard grabbed a cup and filled it. He sipped the bitter brew.

Lige got up and filled his mug as well.

Leli lifted his head and yowled. Jake got up, his tail wagging furiously. Their odd behavior caught the two men's attention and they turned to see what had caught their attention.

In the corner a being stood with a benign smile on his peaceful and youthful face. His golden hair draped over his shoulders accenting the robe of white he wore. On his back, and Richard had to shake himself to believe it, were two huge wings.

"Greetings," the being, who had to be an angel, said.

"Oh, Lord," Lige muttered, his mug dropping to the stone floor and shattering.

Richard felt his body shaking.

"Do not fear. I have come to with a message."

Neither of them replied. Woolsey figured Lige was just as stunned and scared as he was.

"The Lord has a mission for you."

Jake barked and trotted over to the angel.

The laugh echoing through the room reminded Richard of musical bells. "Yes, Jake, for you and Leli as well." Two glowing brown eyes held the men's. "God's mission for you, Richard, and for you, Lige, is to bring aid to a group of stranded young people. When you find them, you are to take them to their new shelter in Gilman."

"That's an old ghost town," Lige said.

"Yes."

"How do we find them?" Richard dared to ask.

Suddenly in his mind there was a map and a picture of the place where the young adults waited.

"God will blind the GC and they will allow you safe passage on the highways."

"What?" Richard couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Be at peace, Richard Woolsey. God has spared you for this purpose."

There was a flash of bright golden light. When he looked again, the angel was gone.

"I guess we'd best pack up." Lige headed across the room and grabbed a box.

"There are ten of them." Richard frowned. "How are we going to have room for them and our supplies?"

Lige chuckled. "Oh, ye of little faith. If I learned nothing else from my son, Larry, I learned that with God, there's always a way."


	81. Next Step

Author's (Dragonlots's) note: Tons of news to share, my first book 'Winter Awakening' will be out in 2011. 'All About Eve' has been released and where to buy a copy is on my profile page. The date of the next anthology is Oct. 1st – Full Throttle Space Tales #4: Space Horrors.

I will be appearing at Infuse, a Christian creativity conference. The topic I will be speaking on is 'Redeeming, (now changed to Reclaiming) Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror'. Website also posted on my profile page.

My apologies to those of you who have been awaiting the next chapter. I was down sick for two weeks, had to fight with unemployment, and then had tons of paperwork to fill out for a new job, which I started recently. It's full time which means I don't have as much time to dedicate to my writing as I would like. I also have several pro deadlines as well.

**Zyanadryn**: Left Behind Stargate Atlantis has already been written and finished. Prequel stories include: Near Seduction, Christmas Stargate Style, Christmas Stargate Atlantis Style, Halloween Dance and The Christmas Trip.

Chapter 81

The sun dipped behind the mountains, dancing across the scattered clouds. Blues and pinks with a dash of orange reminded Jenny of a watercolor painting. God's handiwork took her breath away and she enjoyed it for a few minutes before gently shaking Shane. His eyes popped open and he tightened his arm around her waist.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing. I just thought you'd like to see the sunset."

"Sunset?" Shane frowned. "Our ride should have been here by now." He shifted, wincing.

"Back sore?"

"Yeah. The boulder was a lousy pillow."

She kissed his cheek and pulled away, stretching her arms. "Think something happened?"

"Probably."

"So what do we do?"

"Trust God has it covered."

"Do we tell everyone else?" She pointed to the sleeping group of young people.

"Not yet." He bit his lip. "We'll wait until tomorrow. If no one shows up, I guess we'll have to discuss what we think we should do."

* * *

Simon heard his wife retching and pushed back the blanket as he got out of bed. He put on his slippers. Taking a breath he headed for the small bathroom, quietly pushing back the curtain that surved as the door.

Sam was sitting on the floor, her body shaking. Simon wet a rag and put it against her forehead. "You should go see Carolyn," he said gently.

"It's probably just a bug."

He felt her shiver and helped his wife up. His arm supported her back to bed and he pulled her body against his. After a few minutes the trembling stopped.

"I'm worried about you." Simon couldn't force Sam to go see the doctor, and he knew that. Yet her constant throwing up had him worried. He would drag her there if he had to.

She took a deep breath. "Simon, I just want to sleep..." Her eyes closed and soon she was asleep.

_Father,_ Simon prayed. _Please, tell me Sam is okay. _

He felt a kind of reassurance and as he dropped off. He wondered if he'd also sensed a touch of sympathy.

* * *

The old truck seemed to bounce over the rough dirt road, and Woolsey hoped his dinner would stay down. Leli yowled a protest and even Jake howled.

"Can't be helped," Lige said. He expertly turned the wheel, dodging a large boulder in the middle of road while at same time keeping them from plunging over the steep embankment.

"Do we need to go so fast?" The sun was setting and the colors spread across the clouds reminding Richard of a prism rainbow.

"We need to hurry. No idea why."

A sharp corner loomed and Woolsey closed his eyes, praying, hoping the next sound he heard wasn't angels singing.

* * *

Gavin had fallen asleep, his hand still resting on the picture he'd drawn for his father. Daniel moved to put the boy in bed, but Jacek shook his head and covered the boy with a blanket.

"He'll be fine sleeping there," the older man assured Daniel.

"Sure he won't get cold?" He'd hate to have to explain to Jack why his son had gotten sick.

Jacek chuckled. "These crystals seem to keep everything at an even temperature—or hadn't you noticed?"

"I know we don't seem to get cold."

"Not even your feet." He pointedly wiggled his toes. Jacek had no shoes on.

"Guess I hadn't really noticed."

"With everything you've had to deal with since we got here, I'm not surprised." He sat down across the table from his son-in-law. "How are you going to help the Tok'ra?"

"I have no idea yet." Ideally his finger drew patterns on the surface. Daniel knew it would involve putting his friends in danger once again. It came with the territory and it wasn't like they hadn't risked their lives before. Still, with everyone they'd lost recently—he swallowed—it would be hard if they lost anyone else before Christ returned.

He felt a hand on his and looked up in surprise. Jacek squeezed lightly before letting go. "The next couple of years are not going to be easy, son. Don't think you have to carry the burden alone. Turn it all over to God and let Him decide what is to be done."

"You'd think by now I'd be able to do that," he said, marveling yet again when he remembered the man he'd first met years ago that it was Vala's eccentric father now giving him spriritual support.

"It takes a lifetime to get to know a guy, not that I really have much experience there." Jacek grimaced. "Why wouldn't it take as long to trust God?"

"Well I know it's not _supposed_ to be that way—we're supposed to trust Him unconditionally. But we're only human." Daniel felt his lips tug into a smile. "Still, I guess I didn't think of it that way."

"Me either. It just came out of my mouth."

* * *

Water licked at the sandy beaches of San Diego and slowly devoured them. Next it crept almost cat-like and began to nibble at the abandoned beach houses. Finally it reached out its claws and buried the scenic Highway Five.

Rayford Steele watched the waters progress and hoped it didn't reach their bunker. If it did, they'd have to flee their current refuge and he wasn't sure it was time for them to retreat to Petra. There was still so much that needed to be done.

"Kind of scary isn't it, dad?" Chloe handed her father a cup of coffee.

"Not as frightening as the false miracle workers trying to deceive the undecided."

His daughter's hand rested on his arm. "We're only warriors in the battle. The rest is up to God."

"It just feels like we're losing."

"You need to listen to Tsion more."

"When I'm flying for the co-op, I need to concentrate on what I'm doing so the cargo gets there safely."

"Just remember Gabriel and Michael are out there, too."

"Who would have thought the archangels would be involved." Ray shook his head. "It's almost more than I can absorb."

Chloe's soft laugh answered. "Me too, Dad. Me too."

* * *

Lige slowed his truck. Overhead a hawk's shadow passed over the hood and the bird's shrill cry echoed back to them through the open windows.

"Problem?" Woolsey asked.

"No. Just seem to know it's time to stop." The older man put the truck in park and turned off the engine.

Several long minutes passed before a young man appeared. He was wearing jeans and a T shirt. He shouldered his pack and peered in at the two men, cat and dog.

"You're not Chuck," he said.

"No." Lige gave the young man a smile. "My name's Lige Henry and this is Richard Woolsey. God sent us."

"But the man who was supposed to meet us here is named Chuck."

Richard opened the door and got out. "I'm guessing something happened. An angel appeared and sent us to help you."

The younger man's eyes darted from one to the other and his body relaxed. "You have God's mark on your forehead." He turned his head. "It's okay everyone."

From behind some very tall granite boulders, several young people emerged.

"You know where we're supposed to go?"

"Sure do." Lige got out and lowered the gate on the truck bed. "Gilman. It's an old ghost town below Leadville." He chuckled. "Snuck in there once to try and take pictures. Got myself an ear full from the caretaker."

* * *

Jack stood looking out over the pond. It was completely clear now, the lily pads floating on the surface sprouting pretty pink and yellow flowers. A frog leaped from one and landed in the water with a slight plop.

"You were happy here."

He turned to face Laira. She offered him a smile and reached out her hand. Jack took it. Together they walked the shoreline until they reached a grassy spot. For a long time they stood there together in silence. It felt so right it almost frightened him.

"Tell me about Aina," he requested to break the mood.

Laira hesitated. "Our daughter was beautiful." She sighed. "I wish you could have met her."

"I _will_ meet her, when the Tribulation is over," he reminded her.

"It seems so far away."

"Only a little over two years." He released her hand.

"My son adored her." She smiled at some memory, but then the smile faded. "He was filled with grief when she vanished."

"I felt the same when I lost my son Charlie." Jack remembered the pain, but it wasn't as strong now. Besides, if what he understood was correct, he'd be seeing Charlie very soon. That knowledge made him smile. He'd be seeing Sarah again too and he pushed the thought aside. This wasn't the time.

"It has been hard for my village with all the children gone." She picked up a rock and tossed it into the water.

"It was hard for everyone on Earth, too."

"It seems so cruel."

"According to how it was explained to me, the children were still considered innocent in God's eyes. He spared them."

"It didn't seem that way."

He put his arm around her waist. "It's hard to lose a child."

She looked up into his eyes, and tears leaked down her cheeks. Laira buried her head on his shoulder and cried.

* * *

Simon propelled Sam into the medical area. Carolyn glanced up from her desk and gave the couple a frown.

"Sam has been sick constantly the past few days," Simon informed the doctor.

"It's just a bug," Sam protested. "I'll be fine."

Her husband ignored her words. "Carolyn, something is wrong. Would you please check Sam out?"

"I don't need—" his wife began.

"Simon could be right," Carolyn stepped in. "It could be something more serious." She got up and went to the nearest examination table. "Come here, Sam."

Sam shot her husband a resentful glare but did as the doctor ordered.

Carolyn stuck a thermometer in her mouth and checked her pulse. "How long have you been feeling unwell?"

With a mumble Sam said, "A few days."

"Uh huh." Carolyn checked the temperature and frowned. "You're not running a fever."

"Is that good or bad?" Simon asked.

"Either." She stepped back and really _looked_ at Sam. Something was different. The colonel seemed to have a bit more weight on her than normal. "I'm going to run some blood tests. That, hopefully, will give us some clues as to what's going on."

* * *

When all the young people were loaded up and settled into the truck bed, Lige and Woolsey got back in the cab, heading back down the road.

"You're headed for the highway." Woolsey sent a worried look at his companion.

"No other way to get to Gilman."

"Isn't there a straight through road?"

Lige shook his head. "Nope. There's a huge canyon between the mountains." He sighed. "I'm afraid we're going to have to go back to I-25 and then head up I-70."

"But the GC..." Richard worried.

"What was it the angel told us?"

"That the GC would be blinded."

"You trust God at His word or not?"

"Of course I do," Woolsey huffed.

"Then we'll be fine."

"Wait," he frowned. "The angel said I'd been spared for this purpose. He didn't say anything about you."

"Not to worry." Lige expertly guided the old truck around a hole in the road. "I've been prepared to rejoin my wife and family since this all started." He grinned. "I had a grandson. Wasn't more than two."

"I didn't know."

"I didn't tell you."

* * *

Jenny tried not to watch how close the truck came to the side of the narrow road. Any moment she was afraid they'd plunge down the side and be lost in the trees forever.

"Quit worrying." Shane pulled her against him. "I don't think God would have sent us another ride if we weren't going to get to Gilman."

"I'm just not used to angels showing up and helping."

"Me either." He kissed her.

The truck skid wildly on some lose rocks and everyone in the back screamed.

"Sorry!" the old man yelled back at them.

A few barks from the cab followed his apology.

"My feelings exactly," Jenny mumbled as she held onto Shane.

Long after the sun had finally set, and dark had fallen, they pulled off the narrow, snaky dirt road onto the main highway. A few streetlamps still worked while others hung like grisly skeletons over the road, their wires flapping about in the night wind.

Jenny shivered and snuggled closer to Shane. Riding in the back was chilly and with the wind, it was downright cold.

Shane pulled away from her and stuck his head in the open back window. "There any blankets?"

"Just a moment." Lige pulled over and got out. He pulled a flashlight from a pocket and used it to show Shane some boxes. "Check in there."

Her future husband followed the light and pulled blankets, plus some sleeping bags out.

"You kids bundle up in those. It's gonna be cold tonight and we need to make it to Gilman before first light."

"Why?" Jenny asked, trying not to let her chattering teeth be heard.

"Harder to see us in the dark."

"But you have headlights," Shane objected.

"Not to worry. God has it all covered." Lige got back in the cab and the truck pulled back onto I-25.

The young people huddled under the blanks and sleeping bags. It did make it somewhat warmer.

Again cuddling next to Shane, Jenny allowed her body to relax as she got warm.

They started up Monument Hill, the truck chugging for all it was worth. At the top they kept going, through the dark night, the landscape eerie like a bad horror flick thanks to the lack of light and other cars on the road.

"Doesn't take long to get to Castle Rock," Shane commented.

"And not much farther to Denver." Jenny wiggled her toes to make sure they were warming.

"But still several hours from Gilman."

She glanced around at the pitch black surrounding them. "Maybe living in a ghost town won't be so bad." After all, the world pretty much seemed to be that already.

* * *

"So, what's the verdict?" Sam asked.

Carolyn glanced at the results in her hand. She'd rushed them through not wanting to prescribe anything until she knew what she was dealing with. "You're not sick."

"Then why is Sam throwing up?" Simon worriedly asked.

"Well," Carolyn took a deep breath. "Congratulations are in order. Sam, you're going to have a baby."

* * *

Carpathia stood staring down at the Earth. It seemed so small compared to knowing he ruled over so many planets now. How could his vision of future conquest have been so narrow in the early days of Adam and Eve? Their fall had been so easy to arrange. As was all the rest of what he'd done during these past five years and seven months.

"Excellency."

He turned to face the man who would soon take command of the Apollo. Colonel Evan Howe was an outstanding officer. Well thought of by the new head of the SGC, Sharon Chao, a loyal citizen of the GC. The fact she was an outspoken member of the former IOA also had helped in her appointment and after Savoy's failure, well, it was only right he be replaced.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"We're ready for our trial run."

"Proceed." He balanced on the balls of his feet as the ship slipped out of orbit and made the jump to hyperspace. It dropped out at the edge of the solar system.

Amused, he watched the crew labor through their routine checks before the ship again made the jump and returned smoothly to Earth's orbit.

"Well done," he praised the Colonel and the crew. Soon, they'd be leaving on a mission of much importance. It was good to know they were ready.


	82. Choices

Note from dragonlots (author): I really hate it when the computer eats something. I had started Chapter 82 about a week ago and found, when I went back to finish it, that Word made it disappear. Grrrr. So I had to go back and recreate what I had previously written, along with continuing the chapter.

Also, I have a story in an anthology coming out Oct 1st, along with other announcements about my pro writing career. They're on my profile page.

And, finally, I apologize for the length of time between chapters. I went back to work full-time, plus have had a number things come up with my pro stories that had to take priority due to editorial deadlines. Most of my fanfiction stories are currently on hold and will remain so until a later date.

Chapter 82

_Five years, seven months into the Tribulation._

"Sam, you're not going." Simon glared at his wife as she pulled on her fatigues and slung her gun over her shoulder.

"I won't be leaving the ship."

"There has to be another pilot."

"There isn't." She smiled at her husband. "Besides, if it were really dangerous, I wouldn't have asked you to come along."

"What about baby?"

"Simon, I'm pregnant; not an invalid." She made a grab for her pack.

"Don't pick that up!" Simon snagged it off the table and tossed it over his back. "I still don't think you should go."

"Nothing you say is going to change my mind." She went for the door.

He muttered under his breath and followed, certain it was the worst decision his wife had ever made.

* * *

Jenny allowed her gaze to drift to Woolsey, who sat in a rickety chair before the old stone fireplace. The dog Jake sat at his feet, muzzle on the man's leg, wistful brown eyes staring up at him. She turned away, trying to pull the heavy drapery off the floor.

"Let me help you," Shane offered, grabbing an end as they pulled it out of the main lobby of the old hotel. They'd decided after looking at a number of collapsed houses it would make the best place for them to live.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

They dumped it in a side room. She brushed her dusty hands against her jeans and wished there was enough water to clean them. Still, she had a lot of work to do to clean up the room so they could sleep there.

"I'm going with Bill to get some wood."

"Sounds good. I'll keep cleaning."

He kissed her cheek as he hurried outside with one of the others in their group.

She leaned against the wall to rest before going back. Tears threatened her eyes and she let them fall. Memories of the past few weeks flooded back.

The old truck had rumbled along I25 until it hit the outskirts of Denver. At the Lincoln exit it had made a sputtering noise, forcing Lige Henry to pull off. He crept west on the street until he could pull off into a large parking lot. An old Safeway took up most of the space, along with various other shops and several closed fast food places.

"Do we need gas?" Woolsey had asked.

Mr. Henry had mumbled under his breath. "Nah." He'd gotten out and lifted the hood.

"Maybe I should try and help him," Shane'd said.

She hadn't wanted him to move. The air was chilly and he'd kept her warm.

"Stay put, kids," Henry had called back. "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

She'd drifted back to sleep only to wake to discover the sun peeking out behind the clouds. The rest of the group stirred. Jenny had been surprised to discover they were still in the parking lot.

"Morning," Woolsey had greeted. "Lige went off to see if he could find some parts."

"But the GC—" Shane objected.

Richard made a face. "I'm sure we'll be alright."

A wet nose brought her back to the present. Absently she petted Jake's head and pulled herself away from the wall. Brushing the tears off her face she returned to help the others clean up the lobby. Jake's nails clicked on the old wood floors as he followed her.

Shane glanced up. He was piling wood in the fireplace.

"Sure that works?" Woolsey asked as he stirred from his chair.

"Looks like somebody recently used it." He showed the older man the black ashes.

Woolsey smiled sadly. "I'm sure someone has in the recent past—recent being a few years back, anyway. I believe I even know who."

"Really?"

Jenny came to stand beside the man who would soon become her husband. "How would _you_ know, Mr. Woolsey?"

"It's a very long story."

"We have time." Shane piled more logs on and dug around in one of the boxes they'd unloaded for matches.

With a heavy sigh Richard rubbed his chin. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you now."

"Tell us what?" Jenny sat on the stone bench before the fireplace.

"About the group I know of who was stranded here once. I learned about it much later from one of the reports."

The fire began to crackle behind her. Slowly the warmth penetrated the room and the others in their group settled around in a circle near Richard Woolsey.

"So," Shane prompted. "Who were they?"

Richard laughed. "A group from Cheyenne Mountain." Jenny started. That's where Sam had worked! "They were on their way to a cabin further on when they had a wreck." He went on to say how they'd managed to survive before they'd been found. "They were beamed aboard a ship and taken back to Atlantis." (See 'The Christmas Trip' by Dragonlots)

"You mean the city that sunk below the water that the Greeks talked about?" one of the other teen girls asked.

"The very same. Only," he paused. "It wasn't here on Earth. It was on another planet in another galaxy."

"Now you're talking crazy," Bill snorted.

"Sometimes I wish I was." Woolsey took a deep breath. "You see, Lige Henry's son went there, along with a number of other people."

Jenny frowned. "Wait a minute, did you say something about Cheyenne Mountain earlier?"

"I did."

"Did you…" She stopped, not sure how to ask her question. "Did you know Samantha Carter?"

He nodded.

"Do you know where she is now?"

"Not exactly, but I tried to keep them safe while I was at the SGC—that would be Stargate Command, an organization in the mountain which was where she_ really _worked, but that in itself is an even longer story."

"Can I contact Sam?" For a brief moment, she allowed herself that one small hope.

"No. I'm afraid she isn't on Earth anymore."

"You mean...she's in heaven." Her heart sank to her feet.

"That's not what I said. Colonel Carter is no longer on Earth, but she is on another planet."

"Another…planet?" Jenny wasn't sure she was hearing correctly.

He frowned. "You must be the young woman she and her husband fostered."

"I am, yes."

"Well then." He stuck out his hand. "I'm certainly glad to meet you."

* * *

Gavin dashed through Edora's gate and threw his arms around his father. Jack hugged the boy close, realizing how much he'd missed his son over the past couple of months. Daniel followed closely behind, still using his cane, with Vala, holding their daughter, walking beside him.

"We've missed you, Jack," Daniel said as he clasped the General's hand.

"Yeah, me too." He'd opted to stay on Edora. He and Laira had been preparing places for the other people who would soon be coming to take refuge there for the rest of the tribulation.

"Look, daddy!" Gavin held up a picture. Jack squatted down to take a close look at his son's art work. The edges were crinkled and some of the colors had faded from what looked like it being handled a lot.

"That's a great picture, Gavin." The boy's face beamed. "I think I've got the perfect place to hang it."

"He missed you, Jack," Daniel said quietly.

"Yeah. Missed him, too. I had some..." He paused not sure how to phrase it. "Some things to work out."

His old friend nodded. "How's Laira?"

"She's fine—over with a group from her village preparing some fields for planting. I'd be there, too, but I got your message and decided I should be here to greet you."

Vala gave him a smile. "Hello, Jack." Kelana grinned. He saw then how much the baby had grown.

"Hey, Vala." He turned to Daniel. "How soon before the rest follow?" He fell in step with his friend as they walked toward the village.

"A few days. We have a group out in the ship, and a few others running supplies to various camps. Most will come through tonight or tomorrow morning."

"How about the Jaffa, the To'kra, and Skara's groups?"

"We've managed to contact all of them. It'll be several weeks."

"Yeah, moving a large group isn't easy."

"Very difficult," Vala added. She pointed at something and said to Kelana, "Flower." The baby gurgled and reached for the colorful petals.

"Pond has frogs." Jack pointed to the water. "Even Lily pads."

"Really?" Gavin raced to the bridge edge and looked down.

Jack hurried after his son.. "Really. I'll show them to you later."

"Okay." Gavin grabbed his hand.

They continued on until they reached the house he'd been sharing with Laira. "Come on in." He opened the door and was greeted by the familiar smell of burning wood, wool, and cooking spices.

Daniel looked at him, the question on his face. Jack shrugged. Vala sat down at the table, balancing Kelana on her lap. His friend sat beside his wife while Jack shuffled around, pulling out some mugs and something to drink. Gavin doggedly marched after his father.

"Where my picture go?"

Jack put the items on the table and took the picture. "Right here." He took a nail and put it on the wall near the fireplace.

"We gonna live here?"

"For a while." Jack sat down at the table. Gavin jumped into the chair next to him.

"I miss mama."

"Yeah, me too."

"We see her soon?"

Jack met Daniel's eye. "It's less than a year and half away now, Jack."

"Yeah. I know." He poured the liquid and passed the mugs to his friends. "It's a local drink. No alcohol content." Jack took a few sips.

"How are things with you and Laira?" Vala asked.

"We've become good friends."

"Friends?" Vala took a sip and made a quick grab for her daughter who had leaned too far to the right. "Careful. Wouldn't want you falling."

"Yeah. Friends." Jack took another sip and hoped they wouldn't press him. Even he wasn't sure how he felt about her, what she'd told him about their daughter, and the coming return of Christ. "Where's Sam?"

"On a mission."

"Oh." He bit his lip. "Everything okay with her?"

"She's going to have a baby," Vala supplied.

His cup was halfway to his mouth and he stopped it there. He stared at Daniel. "And you let her go on a mission?"

"She's only the pilot, and there shouldn't be any danger."

"Since when?"

"I wasn't too keen on the idea either, but she insisted, Jack, and you have to trust my judgment."

That was true, he supposed. "You really sure?"

Daniel sighed. "Yes, Jack. She's in absolutely no danger."

* * *

Terry busied herself around the various medical packages in the cargo area. She sneaked a peek into the control room, where Simon stood behind his wife while she navigated the ship through hyperspace. Several others were milling about and looking bored. There wasn't much for them to do until they landed.

She ducked back and checked the com device again. There was no reception, but she hadn't really expected any. Maybe, when they got to their destination, she'd try again to contact Earth. After all, if she succeeded Carpathia would reward her amply for all the information she'd gathered and any of the traitors she brought to him.

With a smile, she went back to her tasks while she waited for her chance.

* * *

Lige Henry stared out the bared windows. Absently he scratched Leli's head. They'd soon be coming to offer him the choice, and he already knew what was going to happen. His only regret was not being able to get the cat safely to Woolsey and the kids.

"Not sure what they'll do with you," he told the cat.

Leli urped at him like the answer should be obvious.

The door to his cell opened. Two guards stood there. "Mr. Henry, you can take the mark now."

He stood, straightening his back. "I will not."

His simple statement stunned the pair. "But, sir..."

"No. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I will not take the mark of a false god."

They nodded as if what he said was logical. One of them motioned with his hand. Lige went with them, not resisting and not trying to run. Leli trailed behind.

He was led up the stairs to the guillotine and put his head under the blade without help. "I'm coming home, Lord," he said. "Tell Callie and my kids I'll be with them shortly."

From somewhere there was a snort, followed by a short yell. "Stupid cat!" He heard a shot and a pain filled yowl.

"Oh, Leli," he muttered. They was his last words as the blade fell.

Moments later he stood before Jesus, his family embracing him, and oddly enough Leli was there, too, rubbing against Jeanine's ankles.


	83. Calm Before the Storm

Note from Dragonlots (author): I know it's been a long while since this story was updated. Between pro writing/editing deadlines, working a full time job and tutoring children after school, my life has been crazy. Not to mention I'm a reviewer for a publisher and all the marketing I have to do as a pro writer. Oh, and I did mention trying to still have a life?

Speaking of my pro gigs: My first book 'Winter Awakening' is out and available on Amazon plus several other sources. Information is on my profile page. I also edited my first anthology called 'Of Fur and Fire' debut at Starfest on April 15th. I have a story in 'Frostbitten Fantasies'; 'Throw Down Your Dead: an Anthology of Western Horror' and will have one in 'Taste of Armageddon'.

I'm currently working on rewriting my NaNoWriMo manuscript – 'Winter's Dawn', a near future thriller with a romance tossed in and soon will be completing 'God's Gift' an original novel featuring the Henry family who you've been introduced to in my 'Left Behind SGA & SG1' stories. On my docket is also 'Winter Emergence', the sequel to 'Winter Awakening'.

Now, I'm betting several are asking how I intend to update Fanfiction with such a heavy writing schedule. Easy. Friday or in some cases Saturday, I will be writing chapters for various stories because I intend to complete every serial I have going on FFN. Call it a pro commitment thing.

LBSG1 will be every two weeks. I do have to submit the chapters to ChristianGateFan first, so there will be a few days lag time between when they're written and when they're posted.

My thanks to everyone still hanging in there with us.

* * *

Left Behind SG1

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 83 : Calm Before the Storm

_Before he was martyred_

Lige Henry trudged along the street, occasionally looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was bothering the truck. This part of town seemed pretty much deserted. Several cracks marred the asphalt road and many of the ritzy buildings had been reduced to piles of bricks.

"Rerow."

He stopped and watched the orange tabby come up to him and rub on his ankles. Lige shook his head. "You should have stayed with the others."

Two yellow eyes blinked at him. "Mau."

Gauging the distance back, Lige decided it would far easier just to take the cat with him rather than return Leli to the truck and start the trek all over again.

"Fine. But don't expect me to wait for you."

The two walked along together, the cat sometimes stopping to investigate an interesting smell.

If he remembered correctly, from the few times he'd been in this area, there was an auto parts store, actually two, just off the next major road. With any luck, he'd find what he needed, if the shelves hadn't been striped clean.

There was a slight hill and the road curved. He paused at the top taking in the damage below. Where there used to be shops, restaurants and even a fire station, a huge hole seemed to have swallowed them up. The mall beyond yawned at him, its top shaved off.

"Going to be harder than I thought."

Leli began down the incline, his tail held up as if it were a banner.

"Yeah, business first."

Instead of working around the hole, they turned off and went along a street into a small housing development. The area was eerily quiet. Trees were toppled over or cracked, the houses sprawled at odd angles and the school, when he reached it, was a pile of rubble.

He glanced off to the right. The main road he wanted to reach was there. Walking down the hill he thought he heard the sound of a car, but it kept fading so he wasn't really sure.

A few more turns and his destination, one of them anyway, was in sight. It seemed to be in one piece.

"Hey, old man!"

He tensed and slowly turned to face the voice. Several young people were bearing down on him.

"Hey, he ain't got the mark," one of them pointed out.

"Yeah." The one he assumed was the leader grinned. "Should be worth something then."

There were too many for him to fight off and he was too tired from all the walking to run. He raised his hands. "I surrender."

* * *

The group at least hadn't treated him badly. They'd surrounded him and escorted him to the nearest GC station, which had been right across the street in an old MacDonalds. He shivered, looking at the silent and unused playground.

"Who's this?" a bored-looking young woman asked.

"We found him walking down the street," the gang leader answered. "He ain't got the mark."

She glanced up and frowned. "You know about the death penalty for failure to comply." It wasn't a question.

"I do." Not that it would matter to him.

"Lock him up," she instructed two other soldiers standing there. She looked at him. "We'll transport you to the local station."

"It won't make a difference. I won't take the mark."

With a shrug as if it didn't matter to her, she dismissed him. This was what the world had come to: death, every day, everwhere, at the hands of the one who ruled, and no one protested. No one thought twice.

As he was led away, Leli following, he heard, "Hey, is there a reward?"

Several hours later he was locked in a cell. It was cold, damp, and looked like an old storage area. The only difference was that the window had bars on it.

"Well, Lord," he said. "Looks like the end for me. Keep Woolsey and the kids safe and make sure they get to Gilman."

* * *

_Sixty seven months into the Tribulation_

The sun sank behind the mountain, plunging the ghost town into total darkness. Jenny stared out the window, still uncomfortable with there not being any streetlights. She heard the fire crackle behind her and turned her head. Everyone was gathered around, sharing a simple meal. Sleeping bags were tossed around the now cleaned room.

"You okay," Shane asked, coming to stand next to her.

"Fine." Her eyes drifted back outside. "Just kind of shocked to learn all that stuff about Sam."

"Yeah." She heard a creak as he shifted his feet on the hardwood floor. "Surprised me, too. All that stuff about the sunken city being real."

"And people being there."

"Woolsey said there hadn't been any contact for several years." His arm went around her waist. She moved so her head rested on his shoulder.

"Kind of scary. I wonder what happened," she pointed out the window, "out there. On those other planets."

"We'll find out soon."

"Guess we will." She kissed him. "Speaking of the time we have left, Shane, when are we getting married?"

* * *

Sam settled the ship gently on the small flat plateau. The shadow of the steep mountain covered the vessel and she was thankful for the cover.

Simon's hand rested on her shoulder. He squeezed and kissed her cheek. "Well done."

"I've certainly had plenty of practice."

"How soon before our party appears?" He squinted staring out and surveying the area.

"When they get here." She got up and stretched. "They knew about when we were supposed to be arrive. It could take a few hours."

"Really." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She playfully batted at him. "We're not alone." Sam motioned to the soldiers standing around.

Simon winked.

Sam raised her voice and addressed the group. "Time to start unloading. Get to work!"

They scurried back to the cargo area.

"You, too," she ordered her husband.

He gave her a mock salute. "Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

The Apollo glided through hyperspace. Carpathia watched in fascination. Ice white and blue blazed past as if the ship were slicing through the sky and clouds.

"Excellency."

He turned to face Colonel Howe. "Yes?"

"We're receiving a weak signal."

"Is it coming from our destination?" They'd managed to find the location of the Tok'ra and he was anxious to reach their planet.

The dark haired soldier shook his head. "No, sir." He nodded at tech. A holo map appeared. "From here." He pointed at a planet just off their projected course.

"Who is it?"

"No idea. But what we can make out is something about Samantha Carter."

Carpathia bounced on the ball of his feet. What a wonderful chance finding! "Alter course to intercept."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Checking the controls, Sam kept glancing up, both to watch for their contacts but also to reassure herself everything was alright. Something wasn't. She could feel it.

"Lord, what is going on? Why am I so uneasy?"

Silence. She knew from experience sometimes God didn't always answer immediately. Maybe her unease came from all the recent successful supply runs, both out here and back on Earth, according to a few contacts they kept.

She shook her head. "I'm just being paranoid." To quiet her mind and soul she flipped on a song.

_Oh, what I would do to have_

_The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in_

_Onto the crashing waves_

_To step out of my comfort zone_

_Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is_

_And He's holding out his hand._

Her lips curved into a smile. She liked Casting Crowns. The 'Voice of Truth' was one of her favorite songs. When Christ finally returned, she looked forward to meeting the band members.

"Sam,"

She looked up at her husband.

"We've got almost everything unloaded."

"Any sign of our contacts yet?"

"No. How long were we supposed to stay?"

"Long enough for Terry to check out anyone who might need medical assistance."

"Awhile then." He sat next to her.

_But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me_

_Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed_

_The waves they keep on telling me_

_Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"_

_"You'll never win!"_

"So glad I know how the Bible ends and that we do win," Simon commented.

"Yeah." Yet, Sam knew there was a good chance not all of them would survive until the end of the Tribulation. She just prayed she lived long enough to see their child, who she had waited so long for, born.

* * *

"Got a group in Colorado who needs a supply run, Dad," Chloe said.

"You want me to make the run?" Rayford asked. He'd been watching his daughter for the past half hour dispense pilots and planes to various groups all over the world.

"If you wouldn't mind." She grinned. "I suggest one of the smaller planes. You're going to have to land on a narrow, mountain road."

"I hope it's paved."

"It is. But it's snaky and steep."

He rolled his eyes. "What? They couldn't find a place with a good landing strip?"

"They're in an old ghost town. No power. Patchy cell service."

"How'd they get a message to you then?

"It was ordered before they arrived. Since some of our relays are slow, I just got it."

"I hope they weren't counting on us being there promptly then." He put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Or else they might be starving."

"Come on, Dad. Aren't you the one always telling me God provides?" She tapped a couple of keys.

"Yes, I am." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll arrange the drop."

"Thanks."

He headed for the door, stopping halfway there. "Before I forget...we get any more information about O'Neill's group?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, no. It's like they dropped off the planet."

* * *

Night had fallen, and Jack stood outside listening to the frogs croak. It was a familiar sound, reminding him of home and his boyhood.

"You're quiet." Laira stood beside him, a hand-woven shawl thrown over her shoulders. "Aren't you happy to see your son and your friends?"

"Yeah. I missed them."

"Gavin is asleep. I checked on him before I came out."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." She smiled. "It's nice to have a child in my home again."

He put his arm around her. "Daniel, Vala and Kelana are settled in the cabin next door." Jack chuckled. "They're a little surprised I'm still staying with you."

"Because we aren't wed." He had to give Laira credit, she did understand what he wasn't saying.

"They know we're friends," he said.

"We could be more."

"Yeah, I know." He removed his arm and stared up at the sky. Stars blinked. Twenty years ago he'd have never imagined he would have the privilege to walk on so many of them. "I don't know when...or if I'll be ready for more than that."

"I understand. It takes time."

"And with Christ's return so near, I just, I uhm –" He didn't know how to say what he meant.

"You know you'll be seeing your wife soon."

Laira nailed what he'd been thinking.

"I'm sorry."

She hooked her arm in his. "You don't need to be." Her gaze also drifted upward. "I have your companionship, at least for now."

"Will it be enough?"

He heard her take a breath. "It will have to be."


	84. Mind on the Job

Author's Note (Dragonlots): For those who haven't asked or if I haven't said, the locations I'm using in Colorado are real places, all of which I've visited or live near.

As they say – write what you know. Also, write what you're passionate about. Most times, the two are one in the same.

Chapter 84: Mind on the Job

"Narrow, snaky, and steep you said, Chloe," Rayford complained as he steered the aircraft over the area. "Try adding the road looks like it's part of the mountain." He couldn't land on it. It might sheer the wings off.

The plane shuddered and he kept his hands on the wheel. He'd been warned about unexpected up or down drafts which, according to pilots he'd known, were common occurrences in the Rockies. Many of the more inexperienced had met their Maker prematurely by either ignoring the advice or just not knowing.

Not to mention the sudden storms. One moment the sky could be clear and the next it would be filled with blinding rain or snow. Thunder heads could tower above and that brought the danger of lightening and their deadly strikes.

"Mind on the job…" he muttered. He shook his thoughts away from all the possible threats and cast an eye below. The ground was brown and dry. A red river tumbled down a deep canyon, and several tall pines still stretched toward the wispy clouds.

"There you are." Ray could now see the town. It sat on a flat butte, three sides sharply falling into the ravine. The other connected Gilman to the road and mountain. "Nice spot."

He flew over the town once, hoping the group saw him. It looked like maybe one of interior roads would work, rather than the main one, and with a prayer he lined up to land. It wouldn't due to lose his landing gear to an unexpected pot hole or a plant of some sort – he wanted to get back to San Diego and his daughter.

When he finally taxied to a stop, he glanced up and smiled. A number of young people and one older man waited for him. Opening the door he called, "Good afternoon!"

The older man approached. "Hello." Ray didn't miss the quick glance at his forehead.

"Welcome. We really weren't expecting anyone, but…" The man shrugged. "It is nice to see another believer."

"Seems someone ordered a supply drop before your group left. We just got the message a few days ago. I'm Rayford Steele."

"Richard Woolsey." He motioned the young people to approach. "We _do_ quite need some fresh supplies."

"I didn't see any type of car."

"We lost our truck in the city." Woolsey hesitated before continuing. "It was a miracle we managed to reach here at all."

"What happened?"

"Long story."

Ray began handing out boxes and packages. The young people took them, retreating to a large building.

"Old hotel," Woolsey explained.

"You're all staying there?"

"It's the best place. Most of the houses are in bad repair."

"I see." Ray grabbed the last box. "Lead the way." He followed Woolsey inside, surprised at how cozy they'd managed to make it. Warmth blazed from a stone fireplace. Sleeping bags were rolled up against the various walls, and heavy curtains had been hung. They were open now, allowing the bright sunshine in.

A bark surprised him. He put his box down and squatted to pet a friendly dog. "I haven't seen many pets since the rapture."

"We had a cat with us too, but, when Lige Henry left, it went as well. We're guessing, since he never came back, that he was captured."

Ray noticed Woolsey didn't say probably gone to heaven as well. Beheading was the common form of execution for those who wouldn't take the Anti-Christ's mark.

"Why'd he leave?"

"Have a seat. It's a long story. Jennifer," he turned his head to address one of the young women. "How about getting our guest a cup of coffee?"

"Sure." She gave Ray a shy smile. It was then he noticed most of them were really teenagers.

He turned surprised eyes to Woolsey. "These are mostly kids."

"From what they've told me, the cave they were in was overcrowded. The leaders were relocating groups to new locations."

"You weren't part of them?"

The older man shook his head. "Lige and I were at Bishop's Castle. God got us to where we needed to be to help them out. Their original ride never showed. We have no idea what happened."

Ray had heard of Bishop's Castle. He and Hattie, when he'd been flirting with her, had talked about visiting there on one of their layovers. It was a part of his past he had been forgiven for, yet sometimes he still regretted even thinking of being unfaithful to his first wife, Irene.

"So you picked them up."

"We did."

Jennifer handed Ray a steaming cup before rejoining the rest now seated on the floor. They had their Bibles out.

"Then what?" He took a sip. It was hot and a bit bitter, but he savored the taste.

"We'd just gotten to Denver when the truck broke down. Lige went to find spare parts." Woolsey glanced at the floor.

Ray didn't press. The loss was easy to see on other's face.

Finally, Woolsey cleared his throat. "God sent an angel."

* * *

"What's wrong?" Vala asked. She joined her husband who sat on the bench near the fireplace. She knew the expression on his face and waited for him to share.

"Kelana asleep?"

"Like a baby, if you'll pardon the pun." She reached across and took Daniel's hand. "My parents arrived today. They're settled in a house nearby."

"Sorry I wasn't there to meet them."

"You had a meeting with the village leaders. I understood that."

He nodded, taking a deep breath. "We had to discuss where to settle the other groups when they arrive."

"Find some good spots?"

"We did. Jack says he's been to most of them."

Vala bit her lip, knowing Daniel resented having to restrict where he went because of his injury. Carolyn had told her his leg was as healed as it was going to be. He'd have to use a cane until the Lord's Second Coming.

It might be that was what bothering him. "Well, that's good then." She smiled at her husband. "I got some good news today."

"Really?" He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "I could use some."

She wanted to prolong the wait but couldn't. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" He sat up straighter. "But last time-" he stopped.

"Carolyn says I'm fine and so is the baby." She put his hand on her stomach. "See?"

He laughed. "Another child! God never ceases to amaze me."

She moved so he could put his arms around her. Snuggling against him, Vala allowed herself to relax. Even though she'd been through her share of battles and a part of her had enjoyed the challenge, her heart was peaceful since she knew Edora was safe from the GC.

Daniel asked, "Don't suppose she knows if it's a girl or a boy yet?"

"Not yet." She kissed him. "Kelana _is_ asleep."

His eyes lit up. "Then, by all means, let's take advantage."

* * *

Carolyn glanced around the old barn. It wasn't exactly state of the art, but with a bit of work, it would make a fine clinic. She'd need the space for treatment rooms, at least one surgery, and the loft area would work well for a hospital wing.

"Where do you want these?" her husband, Jar'en, asked, hefting a huge box on his shoulders.

"By the wall."

He smiled at her and lugged it over, making a great show of how heavy it was. Jar'en put it down and came back over to her. "Anything else?"

"Well, I do have a lot of work to do." Her eyes darted around the space as she tried to decide what to do next. Thankfully, the first thing they'd done was hang lights from the ceiling. It had taken all day - along with setting up the generators so there'd be power.

"Carolyn, you must rest. It'll keep until morning."

"And what if someone gets hurt?"

Her husband gently put his hands on her shoulders. "You know where the basic supplies are. Right now—" He steered her toward one of the stalls, turning off the lights as he went. "You need to sleep."

"But—"

"But nothing." He grabbed some blankets and tossed them on the clean hay.

She couldn't help it; she wrinkled her nose. Carolyn was sure Jar'en had seen it.

"Not to worry," he assured her as he pulled her down next to him. "There haven't been any animals in here for a long while. I asked." He pulled a blanket over them both. "Tomorrow, I'll start converting this area into an office for you, complete with a cot when you need to stay."

"You're too good to me." She snuggled against his chest.

"I know sometimes it is necessary." He kissed her forehead. "Now, go to sleep."

She closed her eyes. His musty scent filled her nose. Odd to think she enjoyed how he smelled. It was so different from human men.

"Am I offensive?"

"No." She opened her eyes and smiled at her husband.

"Good." He kissed her. "Now, sleep." He reached over and turned off the one remaining light. It plunged the area into darkness.

Crickets sang in the background along with the croaks of frogs. It was an odd song, one she hadn't heard since the days of camping with her father as a child. It was also beautiful music. She allowed its soothing melody to lull her to sleep.

* * *

Hank Landry couldn't sleep. He paced the small house he'd been given, glad he was being allowed to live alone. Granted, his rank entitled him to such a privilege, but he also knew some were sharing due to the limited space. Maybe the house was hardly more than a room, but he was grateful for it.

"Why can't I sleep?" His eyes drifted heavenward. Granted, he was no longer the leader of the group. Daniel Jackson had taken over that role. Still, he couldn't help but worry when they still had people running supplies or recon.

Grabbing his Bible, he sat down before the fire and began to read. His fingers turned to Psalms 35. _Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. _(KJV v1-3)

He shook his head. Funny how God could show him the perfect verse he needed. He was a soldier, just like the one who had written those words. They also seemed to contain a message.

"Whoever is fighting, Lord, whether it's Sam and Simon, or any of our other teams…guide them. Protect them. Keep the evil one away. In Jesus's name, Amen."

A peace settled over him and he put his Bible away. The fire crackled, reminding him of the ones he built long ago. He'd enjoyed the time with this daughter during his rarely allowed visits. He wondered if she remembered them. Carolyn had been so young.

"Thank you, Father. I'm so glad Carolyn is back in my life."

* * *

Woolsey had stopped telling their story while he helped the young people put away the supplies. Then, they'd all worked together to make a wonderful dinner they'd shared with Ray. He'd enjoyed the playful banter between them, noting that at least one pair—the girl Woolsey had called Jennifer and one of the young men—seemed to be a couple.

Night fell. It was pitch dark and so thick Ray couldn't ever remember experiencing anything like it before. There were no surviving streetlights, no humming city noises. Just the faint rush of water and sometimes the lonely howl of a coyote.

"Hope you don't mind spending the night," Woolsey said.

"No. I'll leave at dawn."

Ray watched the young people. Someone had a deck of cards and they were sitting around in a circle playing some sort of game.

"No TV or radio." Woolsey again took a chair by the fireplace.

"I understand." Ray sat as well. "We at least have a computer and our phones."

"We have one phone, but have to go up the road a couple of miles to use it."

"No signal here then."

"None," the other man confirmed.

"Could make it difficult if we needed to get a warning to you." Ray knew it was possible. The GC might figure out where the group was and come after them.

"We've discovered a number of trails, _and_…" Woolsey put his hand on the dog's head. "Jake here is a good watch dog."

"Where would you go?"

"God would provide."

"Like he did in Denver?"

"Of course."

"What happened after God sent an angel?" Ray waited. He wasn't sure Woolsey would answer.

"The angel led us to a house where one of the raptured Christians had lived. There was a big orange truck with a canopy on the back. The key for it was on a desk in the basement and we took what we could find for supplies. We went back to where we left Lige's and grabbed everything there as well."

"You're sure the people in the house were raptured?" He hated to think that they might have unknowingly stolen from someone who was still living there.

Woolsey nodded. "We found their clothes still in bed."

The same place Ray's wife and son had been when Christ had returned the first time. He still remembered the pain but knew he'd see them soon.

"Found a Colorado map in the bookcases," Woolsey continued. "I determined our route, took the truck, and drove out of town. Oddly enough, we seemed to bypass all the GC roadblocks." He smiled. "It seems there are some backroads they ignore."

"Interesting." Maybe the GC only had enough man power to keep an eye on the main highways. That useful piece of information would help the surviving Christian groups move supplies or people as needed.

"I didn't see the orange truck when I flew over."

Woolsey chuckled. "Hidden."

The older man hadn't mentioned it earlier either. Ray didn't really blame him. One could never tell when a GC spy might sneak in.

"Good idea."

"Gilman is supposed to be a ghost town. Other than the smoke from the fire," Woolsey pointed at the popping flames. "We try to keep up the appearance."

"Seen any of the GC since you've arrived?"

Woolsey shook his head. "We do know there are some people living in small communities farther up in the mountains. Every once in while we hear a car go past."

"They never stop here?"

"No reason to."

"You're right." No reason to stop in a ghost town that long ago had anything of use or value taken.

An eerie howl echoed. It was answered by another further away.

"They gossip every night," Woolsey joked.

Ray smiled.

Jake trotted to the window and added his voice in response to his distant cousins.

* * *

The uneasiness Sam felt hadn't left. She needlessly checked the controls again and watched the others as they met with their contacts. It seemed to take forever as the supplies were loaded onto what looked like a wagon before they parted company and disappeared back into the wilderness.

Simon joined her in the control room while the soldiers checked the perimeter one last time before sealing up the ship and giving her the all-clear.

"Time to go home, Sam." Simon sat in the neighboring chair.

"Finally," she breathed. Maybe she'd feel better once they were back in space. At least she could jump into hyperspace to escape any potential danger.

"What's wrong?" Simon knew her too well.

She hesitated. "I don't know."

The ship slowly lifted and headed back up. The hues out the viewport changed as they left the atmosphere from a pale blue, to an odd pink and finally to deep blue before the blackness of space.

"Setting course for Edora." She entered the coordinates and glanced up, only to do a double take. "Oh, no."

"What?" Simon followed her gaze.

Sitting in their path was a shape Sam knew well. All the previous ships in Earth's fleet had looked the same, but this one she didn't know. She did know it wasn't the Deadalus.

A voice sounded over the com unit—one she knew well and she shuddered as it spoke.

"I do suggest that you not attempt to run. I would so hate to damage your ship."

"That's Carpathia," Simon said between clenched teeth.

"I know."

"Come, come," the evil leader cajoled. "Surely you have the courtesy to answer."

Her hand reached over to do so. Simon stopped her. "Don't."

She nodded and prepared to make the jump. Before she could, a shot fired and the ship shuddered. Several controls fluttered, a couple going out. One was for the hyperdrive.

With a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and a new terror about the future of her unborn child, Sam tried not to vomit. She knew there was no way to repair the drive in time.


	85. Capture!

Note from Dragonlots: Yikes! I had no idea it had been so long between updates. I have a number of pro deadlines to meet – as I'm learning they all come at once – and I have about six to meet by the end of the summer. I also work a day job because most writers don't make enough to live on, not to mention all the marketing and the constant searching for more magazines, anthologies or publishers to submit to. Whew! Still think the life of a writer is glamorous? Trust me, it isn't.

One project I'm really excited about is the Summer of Christian SF/F/H. I'm writing a number of book reviews on my blog. Schedule and web address on my profile page. June/July posted. August will be forthcoming.

Chapter 85: Capture!

Sunlight crested over the mountains, creeping into Rayford's eyes. He groaned and turned on his side, his nose getting a wet lick.

"Yuck!" He wiped it off and stared at the dog. Jake yipped and wagged his tail.

"Jake, come here," Woolsey called. The canine obediently trotted over to the older man, who was sitting by the fireplace.

Ray sat up. Around the room the sleeping bags were full and none of the teenagers moved. He crawled out and gratefully accepted the cup of coffee the other man handed him.

"I'm always up early," Woolsey explained, sipping from his own cup.

"When do they get up?" As Ray remembered, when Chloe had been that age she'd always slept late on the weekends and over the summer.

"They'll be up in a couple of hours."

Thinking about his daughter, he said, "I'd like to call before I go."

"You'll need to walk up the road at least as far as the bridge to get a signal."

"Thanks." Ray gulped down his coffee and rose. "Want to come along?"

Woolsey shook his head. "I spend this time reading my Bible and talking to God." He grinned. "However, you might want to take Jake."

Upon hearing his name the dog's tail wagged furiously.

"Oh…kay." Ray wasn't too sure about the suggestion. "Do I need a leash?"

"No. Jake won't run off and even if he does, he'll come back eventually." The other man put his cup on the floor and picked up his Bible.

"Come on, Jake." Ray walked to the door and stepped out into the early morning light. His eyes took in the wispy clouds bathed in yellow and pink. "Beautiful," he muttered, in awe of God's handiwork.

He trotted down the stairs and hiked up the slight rise to the main road. Jake ran ahead of him, stopping now and again to sniff something interesting or raise his leg to water a plant. Ray chuckled at the dog's antics.

He heard a few birds call to one another. Other than that, there wasn't a sound anywhere. After the constant noise of the cities, it caught Ray by surprise. Not that they were as noisy now as before the rapture. Still, there was some rumbling traffic and other background electronic hums.

Not out here. The quiet was unsettling and he shook himself to rid his body of the uneasiness he felt.

Jake barked at something in the bushes. A rabbit darted up on the road, crossed it and vanished on the other side. The dog raced behind, poking his snout into the spot the rodent had disappeared.

"I think he got away from you."

Lifting his head, Jake woofed and trotted down an incline. At the crest, Ray stopped, staring down at the old metal bridge, the red water tumbling underneath. It was narrow, only allowing one car at time to pass. He wondered what happened if two met each other and which one might end up having to back up.

Whistling, he trundled down the incline, crossed the bridge and pulled out his cell phone. Jake came up to him, sat, and looked hopefully up. "I don't have anything," he chuckled, before dialing his daughter's number. It rang a few times before she picked up.

"You're up early, Dad," she said.

"I'll be flying out soon."

"Good." There was an odd note in her voice.

"What's wrong?"

A long silence reigned before she answered. "I just got a message from Chang."

"What's Carpathia up to now?"

"He-" She paused. Now he could hear the tears in her voice. "He's captured Samantha Carter and her husband."

* * *

Since the initial shot had also taken out the weapons systems, the only battle fought had been when the GC tried to board the ship. Half the soldiers had been killed and Sam could only envy them. They were already in heaven with Jesus. The rest of them, she swallowed as fear threatened to envelope her, wouldn't have it as easy.

"Well, well," Carpathia crowed, as he strutted along the line of prisoners. He stopped to face her, his expression smug. "I suppose you thought you'd evade me forever."

She stared straight ahead and refused to answer.

"Come, come." His fingers lifted her chin so his eyes bore into hers. His fingers felt vile and dirty against her skin. "It's rude not to answer."

She pulled back, feeling his touch rake on her jaw. Sam took a breath and said a silent prayer, asking for strength and courage.

Carpathia shrugged. His neat and sharp suit seemed a complete contrast to the uniformed officers around him. He put his arms behind his back and tipped on his heels, as if debating on what to say next. "I will be generous only once. Who among you will take my mark?"

No one answered. Inwardly Sam smiled. They all knew what would happen and would gladly walk to the guillotine.

"What about this one?" A soldier pushed their nurse forward. Terry slumped to the ground, her head bent so she stared at the deck.

"Ah." Carpathia walked over to her and helped her to his feet. He gently removed the cuffs and rubbed her wrists. "You have served me well."

Sam felt as if her breath had been stolen. She stared in complete surprise as the world leader rubbed what they thought had been a believer's mark from her forehead. He lifted up Terry's hand and showed them what none of them had seen.

Terry proudly smiled. She wore the mark of the AntiChrist.

* * *

Someone pounded on the door and Jack rose to answer it. Standing outside was General Landry. "Daniel wants us all to meet in the clinic."

"What's going on?" Jack asked as he followed the other to the converted barn.

"No idea."

Inside the new clinic, all sparkling, or at the least the best it could be considering the circumstances, were Daniel, Vala, Carolyn, and her husband. Daniel's face held a bleak expression.

"Oh, no," Jack murmured, afraid he knew what his old friend was going to tell them.

"We have a problem," Daniel said without preamble. "We've just received word from the To'kra that Sam's ship has been captured by the GC."

"They can't come here," Landry reminded their leader.

"No, they can't," Daniel agreed. "And the To'kra will be coming through the gate at any moment. Seems the GC have a new ship and it's dangerously close to their planet."

"Laira should be here," Jack said.

"She's already been informed and is at the gate to greet them."

Daniel glanced at the floor. It was almost a heavy cloud dropped over him and Jack could see him slump. "The Lord is telling me that we shouldn't mount a rescue."

"What?" they all cried.

He shook his head. "I don't know why...but it was very clear."

"But Sam..." Carolyn began. "Simon."

"I know," Daniel sympathized. "I don't know what's going on, but we're not to do anything."

"Not to-!" Jack stopped and took a deep breath before he continued more quietly. "Fifteen years of watching each others' backs and we're not supposed to do anything?"

Daniel looked him in the eyes, and there were tears in his. "Jack, they're holding them in a GC base camp by now, maybe even a ship, and Carpathia has access to every technology the Stargate program has every had-not to mention more manpower. What do you expect us to do?"

"Something..." But even as he said it he knew it was impossible.

"God...He knows that, Jack," Daniel said, looking at the rest of them too. "We would only get more of our people killed trying rescue Sam and the others, and the people we'd lose are needed. The Tribulation isn't over. We have more than a year left, and there's so much more we can do in that time."

They stared at each other for a moment more, but finally Jack back off and nodded forlornly. Daniel was right. God was right. The Lord was always right.

Daniel took a breath. "One of the things we need to do, is get a message to the Jaffa and ascended group. They need to be relocated immediately."

"You're afraid Sam will talk." Jack doubted it; she'd been trained to withstand torture, but he needed to voice the concern anyway.

"I don't know." Daniel's eyes met Jack's. "Carpathia doesn't know where everyone is and the sooner we get them to this haven the better."

Hank Landry nodded. "Then we'd better send the messengers."

* * *

Her cell was a dull gray, with a toilet, sink, and a cot with a dark wool blanket along with a small pillow. Sam sat on the cot and put her face in her hands. Simon was not with her. She hoped he was only in another cell, but she had no way of knowing if he was even alive. Fear for unborn child's life, too, radiated through her.

"Why, God?" she asked. Why would you send this blessing only to take it away?

The door swished open and she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. She got to her feet to face whomever entered the room.

Carpathia stood there, a sly smile on his narrow face. He looked perfect in his suit. The only thing out of place was the evil glow in his dark eyes.

"Hello, Colonel," he greeted as he stepped inside, the door sliding closed behind him.

She tried to look confident. "I won't tell you anything." Was there a quiver in her voice? Sam hoped not.

"Really?" He walked over to her. "Medical scans indicate that you're pregnant."

Blanching, she tried to back away from him. Her knees buckled and she landed with a plop on the cot.

He simply grinned at her. "Oh, I think we have some negotiating to do."

* * *

Rayford walked back to Gilman, praying. Although he knew the risk they all took everyday and that at any moment, any one of they could be captured and martyred, he had hoped that O'Neill's group had found a place where Carpathia couldn't get to them.

"Not realistic, I know," he said out loud. Still, it was like they'd dropped off the planet, since he'd heard very little about or from them since they'd gone underground.

Jake barked and dashed down the slight hill into the town. Ray followed. Back at the hotel he nodded at Woolsey, who sat on the hotel steps, petting the dog.

"Bad news?" Woolsey asked.

"How'd you know?"

"Your expression."

"Yeah." Ray sat down. He picked up a stone and tossed it out into the road. "Some friends of ours got captured by the GC."

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too." He tossed another. Jake stared after it like it was ball to chase. His tail wagged.

"Anything you or we can do to help?"

"No." He picked up another rock. "Right now, we don't even know where they're being held."

"If you don't mind me asking, who was it?"

He was pretty sure Woolsey wouldn't know them. "Samantha Carter and her husband."

"Colonel Carter?" The alarm on Richard's face took Ray by surprise. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. You know them?"

Woolsey nodded wordlessly.

There was a gasp from the door and Ray glanced up to see who was there. The girl Jennifer stood with a hand over her mouth and tears streaking down her face. She shook her head. "No," she moaned.

"I'm sorry," Ray told the girl, not sure why she was so upset. "Chloe, my daughter...she just told me."

"No," Jenny mouthed again, stumbling back inside.

Ray turned to Woolsey for an explanation.

"Sam and Simon were Jennifer's foster parents."

* * *

The Stargate opened on the Jaffa refuge and Jar'en stepped out into the bracing morning cold. The camp was stirring and he heard the drift of voices. Cooking pots were brewing, the scent of food drifting through the air. His eyes searched for the main tent where Master Bra'tac and the rest of the ruling council would be.

As he went through the tent, several waved at him and he returned their greetings with a wave of his own. It was obvious the refuge was more like a home now. It was unfortunate that must change.

He pushed aside the tent flap and stepped into a council meeting in progress. They all stared at him with surprised expressions. No one usually interrupted them.

"Forgive me," he said. "But I come with important news."

Master Bra'tac nodded, motioning the younger Jaffa to join them. "Speak."

Quickly he told the story of Sam and Simon's capture, or at least, what little they knew, and the concerns voiced. "I'm sorry, but everyone must be moved to Edora immediately."

Bra'tac's wrinkled face reflected the gravity of the announcement. "You are sure a rescue cannot be mounted."

Jar'en shook his head. "God specifically told Dr. Jackson to do nothing."

"Well..." Bra'tac sat back. "He may have been instructed not to, but we have no such message."

"I think," Jar'en ventured, "that it was intended for all of us. We need all our warriors here to safely evacuate everyone."

"I can spare a few."

"No." Jar'en felt the Holy Spirit impress on his heart that he could not allow a rescue attempt. "No. I have just been told again that we must do nothing."

"But-"

"Master Bra'tac...although I am young, please respect what I have shared. We must get our people to safety, and quickly."

A brief look of doubt flashed across the older man's face before he nodded in agreement. "Very well then, although it burns my veins as wrong since Colonel Carter, Jack O'Neill and Dr. Jackson have helped us so many times." He addressed the rest of the council. "We must ready our people to leave."

* * *

After leaving Colonel Carter's cell, Carpathia slammed his fist into the metal wall. A dent appeared and he glared at it. "Stubborn woman."

"What's wrong?" Terry asked.

"She would rather die and take her unborn child right along with her than tell me anything of value."

Terry's eyes narrowed. "That's foolish."

"Yes. Yes it is." He rounded on the nurse. "Do you know anything of value?

"I know about where the Jaffa base is. I've been there a couple of times."

He rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. Now, we will go to the commander of this fine ship and set a course." He already had many Jaffa as his enforcers on several planets, and the idea of adding more appealed to him.

So did the idea of killing those who would not join him.

With the woman in tow, he reached the bridge. "Tell him," he ordered, pointing at Colonel Howe.

He watched as the woman did as he instructed. Colonel Howe nodded and had his navigator plot a course.

"With your permission, Excellency," the Colonel respectfully asked.

"Proceed." Carpathia strolled forward and looked out into space. The stars were traded for the icy blue/white of hyperspace.

"It'll take about two weeks to get there," the Colonel said.

"Fine." Plenty of time for him to further interrogate Carter and her husband.

* * *

Jack waved at Skaara when his young friend saw him coming.

"O'Neill!"

"Hey, Skaara." He gave the younger man a hug. "How's the wife and kid?"

"Fine, fine." There must have been something either in his voice or face that alerted the leader of the ascended. "There is a problem."

"Yeah." He quickly told Skaara what they knew. "We need to get your people to Edora."

"It will take time." He moved his hand across the camp. "There are so many of us."

"Let's hope you have that long."

* * *

Sam had no idea how many days she'd been cooped up in her cell. Her food was delivered regularly and she was surprised that as a prisoner she was fed so well. She'd wondered why, but hadn't asked.

Carpathia hadn't been back since the first time he'd questioned her. He hadn't harmed her in any way, just threatened to kill her and her baby. From somewhere deep inside she'd found the strength to accept the fact that, maybe, her child would never be born. Not in the traditional way. She knew her child would live in heaven and...a part of her preferred that he or she die rather than be born into captivity. Another part wanted her child to live.

It just seemed so unfair!

Worse yet was the thought of unbelieving parents being given her child and brainwashing him or her into worshiping the AntiChrist. She shivered at the thought. "Please, God, not that," she pleaded. She knew they would only have a year or so to do it before the Tribulation was over, but it was still a year in which her child wouldn't be taught the truth. She worried how much damage that could do.

The door slid open. Terry stood there. "I've come to examine you."

"Why?" Sam wanted to throw acquisitions at the other woman, but felt like someone else was keeping her mouth shut.

"Carpathia wants you healthy." The nurse set the equipment down on the cot.

"Seems a waste, since he intends to kill me."

"You, yes, but not your baby."

"What do you mean?" Her heart began to pound.

Terry gave her a smug look. "Oh, he intends to raise your child himself."


	86. Relocation and Promises

Note from Dragonlots – One of the problems about taking over someone else's story, even when you have a copy of their plotting notes, is that some of the characters they used tend to get lost. I'm finding this to be true so over the next few chapters I'm going to try and correct that.

Also, my pro writing schedule is beginning to slow down. I now have only three deadlines left, but also have an upcoming release possibly sometime in August. I just returned the revisions to the publisher and have seen the prelim cover art. It's kind of scary but then war is not a pretty thing.

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 86 : Relocation & Promises

Woolsey shaded his eyes with his hand and heard the roar of the plane engine as Rayford Steele flew once over the deserted town before turning west over the Rockies. He watched until it was out of view, knowing that Steele was on his way back to San Diego and his daughter.

"Lucky man," Richard murmured. He lowered his hand and strolled down the broken road. His heart felt heavy and he paused at the end, staring down into the canyon below.

Before Rayford Steele had left they'd discussed the possibility of mounting a rescue mission for Sam and her husband. They'd finally agreed they didn't have enough information to act on. Besides, Woolsey knew there was a chance they were being held off world and if that were the case, well, neither had the resources to help. He doubted Steele knew anything about the Stargate program, let alone off-world humans and other intelligent life forms.

"So," he spoke to God as the distant roar of water drifted up the plateau, "we're just supposed to abandon them, Father?"

There was no answer other than a faint wind tumbling through the pines.

* * *

Shane saw Jennifer dash inside the front door and look frantically around, before running toward the back of the old hotel.

None of the others noticed—they were fixing breakfast—so he slipped away to go find her. For Jen to act that way meant something was wrong. Very wrong.

Walking down the hard wood floor, he glanced into rooms as he passed. Most were decorated in faded and torn wall paper, the smell of mildew and mold tickling his nose.

He eventually found her in a back room, curled into a corner, with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. She was sobbing, the kind of crying that made him both want to run and comfort her at the same time.

"Jen?" He knelt down and put his hand on her back. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, trying to shrug him off. "Go 'way," she mumbled.

"I'm not going anywhere." He waited, hoping she trusted him enough to tell him what was wrong. "I love you and when we get married, we'll be sharing stuff and …"

His fiancé lifted her head as if trying to find the truth in his words. With a moan she threw her arms around him, the sounds coming from her turning to a keening he had never heard before.

Holding her tightly, he rocked her as if she were an infant. Her body shook and he just held her.

* * *

The first of the Tok'ra came through the gate. Laira greeted them with a warm smile and assumed the woman in front in a type of hide dress was the leader, since she moved forward with a tentative smile of her own.

"I am Freya, host to Anise."

"Laira. Welcome to Edora and sanctuary."

"Thank you." She stepped aside as the others poured through. They carried personal belongings or shared the burden of heavier equipment.

"I had hoped," Freya said, "that Jack O'Neill or Daniel Jackson would be here."

"There's been an emergency." Laira didn't go into detail.

"During this time there always seems to be."

"I understand a GC ship was close to your planet."

The Tok'ra nodded. "It was. For some reason they changed course and left. It gave us the time we needed to finish abandoning the base." Her face shadowed. "Mel is taking down the tunnel now."

Laira frowned. "I don't understand."

Patiently Freya explained, "We have crystals that build tunnels which we use for our bases."

"Ah." Now she understood. "You won't need them here. You'll be able to live on the surface with no fear of attack."

The other woman bit her lip. "Old habits die hard. We are used to being underground."

"I know it will be difficult, but the GC can't come here. We're protected by God and we have a wonderful meadow your people can live on."

Freya's face became thoughtful. "Yes," she murmured, "it will be nice to live under the sun and not have to hide anymore."

* * *

"Please, God, no," Sam begged. "No!"

Images of her child at Carpathia's side haunted her. She couldn't sleep and she'd refused to eat when her meal had been brought to her.

"You'd better eat," Terry had scolded. "His Excellency wants his child to be healthy. If you don't," the nurse had smiled wickedly, "I'm authorized to drag you into the infirmary and feed you intravenously."

Sam had taken the plate. "I'll eat later."

Terry had nodded and left. The plate sat untouched on the deck.

"Please, Father." Sam raised her tear-stained face, staring what she hoped was heavenward. "Please tell me this isn't why I'm pregnant!"

A soft wind smelling of fresh autumn leaves rustled into the room, which of course was impossible on a spaceship. It enveloped her in a warm hug, and Sam curled into a ball on the uncomfortable cot and allowed God to comfort her in this unique and special way.

She breathed in the scent and drifted into a deep sleep, where she dreamed of a young boy running across a marble courtyard. It was bright behind him, so bright she thought she'd go blind except a presence beside her protected her sight.

The child reached her and she grabbed him. She held the small body, marveling at the way it felt familiar and right. A scent of wild flowers drifted from his blond hair. When he looked up at her, his eyes were blue, like hers.

'_Your son,_' a loving voice boomed.

"Thank you," she said, full of both awe, because God was giving her this vision, and terror, because perhaps this was where she'd meet her son for the first time. It didn't seem fair somehow.

'_Do not fear,_' the voice continued.

She turned her head. Beside her stood Jesus and he smiled at her. "Our Father has a plan." His hand touched her son's head. The boy grinned. "Your son has a special destiny. Trust that all will be as it should be."

"But to be raised by Carpathia—" she began, her fear bubbling up, even as she was surrounded by the glory of heaven.

"Samantha..." Christ's face held a sad expression. "What would you surrender to serve me?"

She looked at the little boy, her heart breaking. It was the hardest choice she would ever had to make. Finally, she set down her child, straightened her back and looked her savior full in the face.

"Anything."

* * *

Simon paced the cell where he was being kept. He hadn't seen Samantha since they'd been taken and prayed daily for her. He'd been questioned once or twice, but mostly Terry, the traitor, just brought him his food and checked his vitals.

"Father," he spoke out loud. There was no need to hide his faith here. "Father, why did you bless us with a child only to have him or her taken from us?" This was the hardest thing he had ever had to deal with. He had no problem with dying himself, or Sam, either, since they'd both be in heaven, but their baby?

"It just isn't fair." He sprawled himself on the floor, the lowest point he could reach. "Please, please..." Please, what? Simon had no idea what to pray for. Still, he knew sometimes a simple word could be a complete prayer. God knew what was being asked.

"Why?" It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. The baby deserved to be born and to have a life, didn't it? "Please," he begged again, his entire body in supplication, his heart hammering in fear, not for himself, but for their child.

* * *

Landry knocked on the door of Daniel and Vala's house. After a few minutes Vala answered, giving the general a weak smile. "Come in," she invited.

"Sorry to intrude." He stepped inside. Most of the houses were pretty much the same. A large open area with a fireplace and a table with either benches or chairs, sometimes an area curtained off for the bed or else there was a loft area to sleep in. "I though you'd like to know the Tok'ra have arrived."

"Thank you," Daniel answered. He sat on a chair near the fire, his head bowed, eyes staring into the fire.

Vala gathered up their daughter, along with Gavin, and disappeared behind the hung blanket.

"I..." Landry didn't know what to say. He knew the SG-1 team had been very close-knit. Sam's loss was going to be hard to accept. "It isn't your fault."

Dr. Jackson sighed. He took off his glasses and pinched his nose. "I was the one who sent them on that mission."

"You had no way of knowing." Landry understood. Better than Daniel probably thought he did. "I ordered good men and women to their deaths many times."

Daniel started, and slowly his head turned. He stared at Landry. After a moment he nodded, acknowledging the truth the General had shared before looking away again. "I knew that. I just...wasn't thinking."

"It's never easy." Landry grabbed a chair and sat down near the fireplace. "The hardest part is telling their families."

"We're Sam's family."

"What about the girl she and Simon took in?"

"She stayed on Earth."

"Do we have a way to get a message to her?" Hank knew it would be important for the young woman to know.

"I don't know. It might take a long while." He put his glasses back on. "I honestly have no idea where she is and I don't think Sam has had any contact with her since we left."

Hank made a face. "That's not good."

"Yeah. Tell me about it."

* * *

Moving Skaara's group was taking a long time. Granted, there weren't as many as Jack had initially thought, but still...with the hovering threat of a GC attack, he'd hoped they'd be out of there within a few days.

Instead a week had passed and only now were things beginning to be piled near the gate. He scowled at the lack of progress and again went to find his young friend.

"You need to move it," he barked as he barged into the tent Skaara shared with his wife and daughter.

"O'Neill," Skaara gently scolded. He pointed to a newcomer sitting on a pillow. "This is Maya; she has newly come to us."

Jack blinked. He'd been pretty much under the impression that most of the ascended who were going to be saved had been. "Uh, hi."

"She has news." Skaara pointed to a pillow. Jack sat. "Please," his young friend invited, "continue."

The woman hesitated, brushing soft brown hair out of her azure eyes. She cast a hesitant look in O'Neill's direction. "I'm from the ascended in the Pegasus galaxy."

With a start, Jack found himself paying close attention. They'd heard nothing from the Atlantis mission for several years. Did this new Christian know anything about them?

"There was a great battle with angels. Most of us were killed."

"But not you," Jack interjected.

"No. I did not think it right we should attack those from Atlantis simply because they took one of the waiting places."

"Waiting places?"

Skaara answered, "Communities where those who want to ascend gather so they can learn and join the Ancients."

"So," Jack ventured, "those from Atlantis ended up there?" If that were so, what had happened to the city itself? And how many had died?

She nodded. "They did. It is...like this Edora Skaara has spoken of, a sanctuary place."

It was like all the breath had been sucked out of him. It eemed God had planned for there to be more than just one safe place for the Christians to go. "Whoa."

"I can tell you nothing more. I do not know who is there."

"It's enough to know there are still survivors." Jack meant that. He'd find out who was still around when Christ returned, and that wasn't far off.

"Now..." Skaara rose as his wife joined them. She held their toddler, who fussed, wanting down. The pair exchanged a meaningful glance. "It is time to leave."

* * *

Vala gently rocked Kelana to sleep and put their daughter down for a nap. The youngster stirred only briefly before her breathing became deep and regular.

"You be quiet, Gavin," she instructed.

"Too old for a nap," he protested. He was on their bed.

She decided to humor him. "I know. But I need to talk to your Uncle Daniel so you stay here and watch over Kelana, okay?"

He considered what she said and nodded. "'kay."

The voices in the other room had stopped earlier and she'd heard the door open and close. Vala pulled the blanket aside, and pulled it back in place so the children could rest. She rejoined her husband, who still sat staring into the fire.

"You're doing what God told you to," she said, although she suspected it was the wrong thing to say. She, too, was going to miss Sam and her friendship.

"It doesn't seem right." Daniel looked up at his wife as she draped an arm over his shoulders. "Sam is _pregnant_, and—" He swallowed. "We've already been through so much."

"I know." She touched the growing child inside her. "I know I'd feel cheated."

Daniel buried his face in his hands. "It just isn't fair."

There were no words to comfort her husband. Vala knew that. Tears trickling down her cheeks, she knelt beside Daniel and laid her head against his arm. "I know, Daniel. God help me, I know."

* * *

Freya glanced around the new settlement. Wind blew through making the reddish-blue flowers shiver and wave. Rough lean-tos had been constructed and she knew plans were under way to build more permanent homes. Although the idea of houses was primitive compared to their crystal caves, the luxury of not having to hide was freeing.

_Yes, it is lovely,_ Anise agreed silently.

_It is, _Freya agreed with the Tok'ra.

She still hadn't seen Dr. Jackson or O'Neill. Laira explained Jack was off world and that Daniel, as the new leader, had an emergency. She'd since learned about Samantha Carter's capture and sympathized with her human companions on the difficult decision not to rescue their friend. She herself had lost many such friends over the years.

"All I can do is pray for them," she said. Quickly she sent an entreaty upward and then settled back down to getting her people settled so they'd live through the coming year.

* * *

The ascended were the next to come through the gate. Laira met them, along with Daniel Jackson. Skaara grinned at seeing his brother-in-law and proudly showed off his growing daughter.

"She's beautiful," Daniel complimented. "After you get settled in, I'll have you and your family over for dinner. I'll introduce you to my wife and daughter."

"That would be wonderful, Dan'yel." Skaara stepped aside and watched as his people entered the sanctuary.

"We've got an area set aside for you," Laira explained. "Just follow Paynan." She pointed to an older man who stood nearby.

"You are most generous, thank you." Skaara repeated her instruction and the group trudged down the dusty road following their guide.

"It's a good area," Daniel explained, "a little further down the river with plenty of shade."

"That is good." Skaara's face lit up as Ashada joined him, carrying their young daughter, Re'sha. "I look forward to not having to always watch the sky."

"Yeah," Jack agreed, as he joined the group, "it's nice." He faced Daniel. "Any word?"

Daniel shook his head. "None. We know only they were taken aboard the Apollo. Nothing since."

"The Apollo?"

He nodded. "Must be a new ship."

"Yeah." Jack clapped Skaara on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you settled." He glanced around. "Where's Gavin?"

"With Vala," Daniel answered.

"Thanks."

His face was very sad. "Watching out for each other. It's what we do."

* * *

"Some from the Atlantis mission are still alive," Jack shared later that evening. They'd all gathered at Jacek and Adria's for dinner. The older woman had prepared a wonderful stew, fresh baked bread, and a bitter tea Laira had taught her to make.

Sitting around the table were Daniel and Vala, their daughter playing with Gavin on the rug. Carolyn was there, and her father, but Jar'en was still off world. Silar had also joined them, along with Laira.

"A new ascended believer joined Skaara's group recently. She said they were also on a sanctuary planet."

Daniel shook his head. "You know, it astounds me how prepared God was for all of this." He tapped a finger on the table. "He made is possible so that there were sanctuaries all over the universe and not all believers had to journey to Petra."

"Doubt Petra would be big enough." Jack had been there. He knew the size of the place.

"We serve a big God." Hank Landry took a sip of the tea and made a face. "Needs sugar and cream."

Laira laughed. "I"ll see what we have that is similar."

"That would be great."

Silar spoke, "We're still not supposed to go after Sam and her husband?" He sounded like he was just trying to confirm what he'd heard.

"Yes," Daniel quietly answered. "God was very specific about that."

* * *

The infirmary was in good shape and there weren't very many patients. Dr. Jennifer Keller did one final check on supplies and retired to her small office. She knew it had belonged to several before her and she'd done her best to clear away any reminders of the past occupants.

She had only one area to finish clearing and that was the desk drawers. Opening them she found mostly pens and such, a few file folders of team members no longer there, but in the very bottom one, under several notepads, Jennifer found a Bible.

Quickly she glanced around before carefully drawing it out and putting it on the desk.

She opened it to Revelations and read a few passages, wondering what plague would next drop onto humanity.

The next made her hands shake and she put the Bible back under the notepads. It wouldn't do to be caught with it. It might make others question her loyalties, and she had no desire for anyone at the SGC to learn she was wearing one of the black market fake marks.

* * *

News reached Carpathia that the seas had suddenly turned back into salt water. The main damage was done with millions of fish dead and rotting on the shores.

He sent a message back to Earth. "Announce this," he ordered his loyal faithful in New Babylon. Carpathia nodded at the com officer, who activated the device that sent a holographic image of their leader to be seen by his followers. "My people created a formula that has healed the waters. The plant and animal life of the oceans will surge back to life before long. And now that the oceans are clear again, all our beautiful lake and river waterways will soon be restored as well."*

Of course, when the rivers and lakes didn't clear up, there were murmurings of anger. Carpathia stalked the corridors of the Apollo, muttering and fuming. Any who crossed his path wished they hadn't and soon they learned to avoid him unless directly ordered to carry out some assignment.

He turned his eyes upward. "You," he cursed and raised his fist. "You! Will _Not_ win. This is _my _time. _My _will be done."**

Later, Nicolae heard about what a Swedish insurgent had to say and it made him even more angry. Seemed the man blamed him for hoarding supplies and failure to build the promised refining plants to clean the water.

He was glad the man was dead. Now, he had to set the appointment that would end the life of Simon Dockett and assure Samanatha Carter's co-operation so that her child would live.

With a wicked smile, he returned to his quarters to set his new plan in motion.

*Taken from LB book, 'The Remnant', by T. LaHaye and J.B. Jenkins and the LB **'Tribulation Force' movie.


	87. Battle

Left Behind SG1

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 87 : Battle

Sixty-eight months into the Tribulation

Carpathia was furious. Leon, his priest, had dared to call a meeting without him present. He rammed his fist into the metal wall of the ship and stalked onto the control deck.

"I will use the holographic projector." No one moved. "Now!"

Colonel Howe nodded at the communications officer. The man quickly made the adjustments. "Where to?"

"Where to?" Carpathia waited for the man to realize his mistake.

The other's face flushed a bright red. "Where do I need to send the signal, Excellency?"

With a curt nod he told him and the next moment Nicolae was standing in the middle of the meeting, secretly enjoying the startled looks on the faces of his supposed most loyal.

Leon spoke, "This is about water, Excellency, because you..."* he continued but Carpathia cut him off with a rebuke. The entire meeting was one blunder after another. His most loyal refusing to understand and in the end, he gave the order to try and plunder the fresh water supply on Petra. They disagreed with him, but gave in.

With a smug smile he motioned for the projector to be turned off. It would take a few days to set up the missile and then he'd 'drop in' again to see how things were going.

In the meantime, Carpathia had other matters to attend to.

* * *

Carolyn glanced toward the door of the clinic for the umpteenth time. Jar'en hadn't returned yet and over two weeks had passed. She wondered if there was a problem at the Jaffa camp and sent a prayer heavenward. Please, protect my husband and bring him safely home.

Lightly her fingers touched her stomach. I have something very important and exciting to share with him. She smiled. But then, Father, you already know that.

* * *

The planet below was not at all impressive. Carpathia stared out the huge clear section. Floating in darkness was a mottled brown and green ball with a few areas of vast blue. There were a few red rivers and a couple of lakes.

He scowled at the memory of being humiliated by the God. Still, when the water all cleared he'd be able to take advantage and his people would be grateful and worship him, as was his right.

"Excellency," Colonel Howe stood next to him. "We've located a large settlement and suspect it's the Jaffa encampment."

"Send down a scouting party to make certain."

The Colonel gave him a slight bow. "Immediately." Howe barked several orders and Carpathia smiled at how quickly the soldiers obeyed.

It was going to be a glorious victory.

* * *

Jar'en and Bra'tac both glanced uneasily at the sky. Wispy clouds zoomed with the winds like they did every day but something was different. Danger lurked there. They both knew it.

"Gather the women and children and get them to the gate," Master Bra'tac ordered.

Jar'en knew better than to question the order after long years of training and his deep trust of Bra'tac. He dashed across the dusty ground, calling to several women to start gathering at the gate.

The camp became a bustle of activity. Women tossed already packed belongings on their backs and gathered the young children who had been born since the rapture.

Taking a deep breath, Jar'en began dialing the gate address. He noticed several Jaffa take up defending positions around the gate, while others raced to high points, squatting down behind boulders and aiming their staffs at targets that had not yet appeared.

Hearing several roars, his eyes traveled upward. Several fighters were in the air, circling defensively around the camp.

"Master Bra'tac," he quietly complimented, "you are well prepared."

* * *

"The gate!" Silar's voice crackled on the walkie-talkie.

Daniel jerked to his feet and winched at the unexpected pain. He grabbed his cane, heading for the door as fast as he could. "Who is it?"

"Unknown."

Outside he waved frantically at Jack and Landry. "Someone's coming through the gate!"

"I hope to God it's the Jaffa," the general said as the three met up. "Carolyn has been worried something happened."

"Took the ascended group longer to evacuate then we thought," Jack reminded them.

"Usually does when there are women and children involved," Landry said.

Dr. Jackson couldn't stop the nervous chuckle. "Done this before?"

The older man smiled. "I would say that's classified, but it doesn't matter. Yes, I have."

They headed down the dirt covered road. Several others in the village joined them. Some carried shovels or rakes. Daniel hoped they wouldn't need them. God had said this was a sanctuary world and they would be protected.

The watery blue iris was open when they arrived. Several soldiers were in key positions around it, their weapons trained on the gate.

Jack shrugged. "Old habits die hard."

After all they'd been through, Daniel definitely understood. His attentions snapped back to the gate as the familiar slicing noise heralded the arrival of new refugees. He sighed in relief as several Jaffa women, some carrying young children, dashed through.

"This way!" Landry directed, taking charge.

Jack stopped one of them. "Trouble?"

She shook her head. "We don't know. Master Bra'tac ordered us to evacuate and all our men were called to battle."

The two men exchanged a worried glance.

"Thank you," Daniel told her.

She nodded and joined the other refugees. Laira arrived and took over leading the women to the spot Daniel knew had been set aside for them. It was a rugged area about two clicks away from the village. It had rolling hills protecting a lush valley. Daniel knew they wouldn't really need defense points, but the Jaffa were used to being warriors. He had no doubt they'd be comfortable there.

More women and children streamed through. Jack silently whistled. "More than we thought."

Daniel nodded and watched General Landry strolling around, talking with the soldiers protecting the gate.

* * *

"Sir," one of the officers addressed Colonel Howe. "We're registering a decreasing number of inhabitants at the camp."

"What?" Howe twisted in his seat to stare at the subordinate.

Nicolae cursed and whirled to face others. "They're using the gate!" He tossed his arms up in the air. "Stop them!"

The Colonel hit a control and his voice echoed through out the ship. "All landing parties report to your stations. Fighters, you are cleared to launch."

With a satisfied nod, Carpathia went back to staring out at the planet.

* * *

Bright beams of light flashed in the camp, leaving behind a squad of soldiers. They started firing. There were screams and shouts. Staff weapons fired, blowing holes in the dirt and killing as many of the GC as possible.

Overhead the sleek black fighters dropped death upon the escaping women and children. The Jaffa already in the air tried to stop them. Some of the invaders exploded, while others slipped through.

Master Bra'tac directed the fight, his voice booming, giving them all hope.

"Protect the women and children!"

Several groups of Jaffa formed a protective semi-circle around those escaping, many falling as sputtering lead found its mark.

"There must be a ship," Jar'en said as he fought beside Bra'tac.

"No doubt."

Together they felled many soldiers.

"Shouldn't we do something about it?" Jar'en asked.

"First, we must get our people to safety."

* * *

The last coming through the gate had injuries. Daniel and Jack pitched in to get them to the clinic as did many of the soldiers. Landry and Silar stayed behind in case the GC who were firing on the Jaffa managed to slip through.

"They can't come here," Jack panted as he carried two children.

"No," Daniel agreed, supporting an injured woman, "but like you said, old habits die hard."

On their way they met Reynolds, who rounded up several farmers and soldiers and ran toward the gate.

Carolyn's eyes widened as Daniel and Jack brought the first hurt inside.

"What's going on?" she asked, pointing to cots, and grabbing supplies to start their treatments.

"The GC are attacking the Jaffa," Daniel replied. He eased the woman onto a cot.

Jack put the two children he carried onto another. "There are going to be more," he warned the doctor.

"Thank you." She went to work.

The two men hurried back to the gate, passing several of the Tok'ra who rushed to the clinic. Daniel assumed they'd come to help. They passed soldiers carrying more wounded into the village.

"This is bad," Jack said.

"Yeah." It was all Daniel could say.

* * *

Jar'en was on that planet. Carolyn knew that. She tried to push her worry and fear to the back of her mind, but it kept forcing its way forward.

Freya was using a healing device to treat a badly hurt woman. The other Tok'ra had them as well and although Carolyn appreciated the help, she almost resented it.

"We'll take the worst injured," Freya said. "It will free you to help those with lesser injuries."

Carolyn nodded and went about treating bullet grazes. Time seemed to slow and all that she could think about was treating the next patient and worrying about her husband. Was he alright? Was he wounded? Or worse yet dead?

* * *

When the last of the women and children were through the gate, the Jaffa fought even harder. Jar'en knew they had to defeat the invaders before any of them could join their mates.

Bra'tac spoke into a com device on his wrist. "We must stop those fighters!" He shouted orders in the old tongue. Jar'en recognized the words. They'd just been told to engage the ship and if unable to destroy it, at least disable their ability to launch more fighters.

Another explosion rocked the camp, tossing Jaffa to the ground.

Several in the air broke off their attacks and zoomed upward. The GC craft followed, firing white death.

"They will succeed or die," Bra'tac said.

* * *

"Incoming!" the tactics officer shouted.

"Are they insane?" Carpathia asked. He laughed as he watched several Jaffa fighters start firing on the Apollo. "They can't possibly harm us."

"Depends on their target." Colonel Howe directed his next comment to the tactics officer. "Analysis?"

"Looks like the launch bay."

"All fighters, Jaffa trying to take out the launch bay. Stop them."

Bright flashes scattered over the shield protecting the ship. Jaffa and GC craft engaged each other in daring aerial battles. Carpathia watched, amused.

The Jaffa were brave. He liked that about them. They were also stubborn. Another good trait. Unfortunately, trying to attack his ship was a stupid mistake.

One he wanted to make sure they were punished for.

* * *

In her cell Sam sat up and listened. She wasn't sure, but it sounded like the Apollo was under attack.

For an instant she allowed herself to hope for rescue, and then a deeper fear surfaced. Whoever was attacking probably didn't know she was on board and she knew that vacuum killed regardless of whose side you were on.

* * *

Jaffa craft exploded all around. M'loc's fighter was hit and the GC was zeroing in on him. He hit his com. "Master Bra'tac, we have failed. Get everyone you can through the gate. I will try to ram, but I do not know if I will succeed."

"Die a good death," he heard back.

He put all the power he had into his engines and prayed to be received into heaven.

* * *

The ship rocked and Sam was tossed onto the floor. Her cot scooted against the wall, the pillow and blanket joining her on the cold metal.

"Oh, Father," she breathed. Desperately she hoped she didn't hear alarms sounding.

* * *

Carpathia lost his balance, landing in an undignified heap on the floor. Quickly he smoothed his suit and got back up, glancing around to make certain no one had seen what had happened.

The officers were too busy shouting and finding out what had been damaged.

"Report!" Colonel Howe ordered.

"Engine room hit," someone answered. "Hull breach as well."

"Anyone get out?"

"No idea, sir."

Engine room. That wasn't good. Carpathia glanced upward. "You haven't succeeded in stopping me yet."

Faintly he heard back, "You know the book as well as I do and it isn't time yet."

* * *

Fighting on the ground intensified. Bra'tac roared retreat and the Jaffa fought their way to the gate. Jar'en stayed with their leader until the last had made it through. Together the two men leaped into the circle just as a GC fighter launched several laser shots.

On the other side they tumbled out and were being pulled aside when something bright exploded in the iris. Jar'en saw General Landry grab Reynolds and Silar, pushing them to safety, when the older man's body jerked and dropped. The two he was trying to rescue turned back to help and both were caught in subsequent explosions.

"What the…?" Jack O'Neill was there as the gate sputtered closed. "Medic!"

* * *

As night fell the pace in the clinic slowed. Carolyn began to clean up as Freya talked with several of the patients who would be there for a few days. Those with less critical injuries had been transported to the valley with the rest of the Jaffa.

She turned and saw her husband. With a strangled cry she threw herself into his arms. He patted her back.

"You're alive," she sobbed.

"Carolyn," he started in a choked voice.

She pulled back to see his face. It held a pained expression. "I am sorry. Your father, he-" Her husband stopped. "He is dead."

"What?" She stared at Jar'en. "How?"

"We are not as safe as we thought. Several laser shots followed us through and he was killed. Silar and Reynolds, too."

The world spun and vaguely she heard her husband shouting...

* * *

"She's fine," Freya reassured Jar'en. "It was just the shock."

"You're sure." He held his wife's hand after they'd moved Carolyn to the cot in her office.

"Yes." Freya hesitated before she went on. "I'm sure she has something to share with you though." The woman smiled mysteriously. "I won't spoil it." She left.

Jar'en had no idea to what she was referring and waited for Carolyn to wake up.

* * *

Her cell door opened and Carpathia stood there. Sam glared at him.

"We need your help."

"I won't do anything to help you."

"I think you will." He grabbed her arm and pushed her out the door. "It seems the Jaffa caused more damage than we thought, and we need your help to fix it."

"If you get stranded out here in space, it wouldn't break my heart."

"We both know that won't happen."

He pushed her into a room full of space suits. "There is a hull breach in engineering and we've lost everyone in that compartment."

"Go to hell."

He shook his head. "So unoriginal."

A GC officer shoved someone else into the room. Sam gave a cry and ran to her husband. He hugged her and gave her a kiss. "I'm okay."

"Your sidearm, please." Carpathia held out his hand. The officer placed his gun into it.

"Now, Colonel Carter." He held the weapon up. "As you know, I know how to use this."

"Go ahead, kill us. We know where we're going," Simon retorted. Sam had to admire her husband's bravery, even as she feared for their unborn child.

The evil leader snorted. "So I keep hearing." He pointed the weapon at Simon. "Colonel, you have one chance to save your husband's life."

*Taken from 'The Remnant' by Layhaye and Jenkins.


	88. Back to Earth

Note from Dragonlots: Hey all. My personal life has been crazy over the past couple of months. Work canceled the night shift offering us a spot on days. Unfortunately that means I have to get up ridiculously early in the morning and it's taken a while to get used to the change. Not to mention a family of feral cats who were living in our backyard. My spouse and I spent a couple of weeks trapping them and arranging for them to be taken into a foster home through one of our local shelters. Then, we had a death in the family.

I attended MileHiCon this year plugging my first novel 'Winter Awakening'. Sold at least two copies and the publisher asked when the sequel would be ready suggesting a couple of great marketing ideas to boost sales. So, right now, I have four books to finish by next spring before I edit a new anthology called 'Time Traveling Coffers'. If any of you are interested in submitting, drop me an email and I'll direct you to where the guidelines can be found.

The only story I've updated on FFN is 'New World', my Planet of the Apes series. It had already been published in the fanzine Of Dreams and Schemes. All I had to do was some edits.

I'm also participating in NaNoWriMo this month. My goal is to finish 'God's Gift' which a publisher has already expressed an interest in. For any curious, it is an original novel featuring Major Lawrence 'Larry' Henry and his family, which I introduced in several Stargate Atlantis stories. His father was in LBSG1 along with the cat Leli.

(Have you ever tried to write with a cat on your lap? Very difficult!)

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 88 : Back to Earth

"Carolyn?" Jar'en patted his wife's hand as her eyes fluttered opened.

Slowly her hand lifted and she wiped across her eyes. "Is it true?" she asked him.

He squeezed her fingers. "I'm sorry. Yes."

Her choking sob roused his protective instincts and he awkwardly took her into his arms. He held her while she cried, his nose picking up the delicate scent of flowers from the shampoo she'd used in her hair.

Eventually she pulled away, brushing her cheeks with the back of her hand. "My father," she paused. "I didn't get a chance to tell him, and now he'll never get a chance to…"

"To what?"

Her stricken eyes met his. "He'll never get to know his grandchild."

Jar'en blinked. Had she just told him they were having a baby? His eyes wandered to her stomach and back to her face. "A baby?"

She nodded, tears streaming down her face.

He was delighted and sad at the same time. Good news with bad. Did it not always seem to be the way? Most especially in this day and age.

Carolyn was still crying, and all he could do was hold her.

-

Sam glared at Carpathia. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I won't help you."

He pulled back the safety with an audible click. His arm was steady as he aimed the gun right between Simon Dockett's eyes. "Really?"

"It doesn't matter, Sam," her husband said. "Don't help him." His eyes pleaded with her to listen.

"Bear in mind," Carpathia continued as if nothing else mattered, "that if you refuse, not only will I shoot your husband, but you endanger the baby you're carrying."

"Like the radiation in the engine room won't do any damage," she spat back.

The leader shrugged. "Have it your way." He smiled evilly. "Say your goodbyes."

-

Jenny woke suddenly but wasn't sure why. It was still dark outside and the room was quiet. She had no doubt everyone else was asleep except maybe Jake. The dog slept with Woolsey but seemed to have the uncanny ability to come join anyone who was awake. It meant another walk outside and she suspected it wouldn't be long before his warm nose nudged her.

Crawling out of her sleeping bag into the chilly room, she found her shoes and jacket. She edged her way around the room. She didn't want to disturb anyone else. The fireplace still glowed and she tossed a log in before heading outside. Just as she suspected he would Jake joined her and she opened the huge double doors, stepping out into the cool pre-dawn morning.

She shivered and tossed on her jacket. The mountains had an odd bluish-pink hue just touching the dark peaks. Dawn wasn't far off.

Taking a few steps down the creaky stairs, she sat down and hugged her arms. Jake nosed her hand and she gave him a pat. The dog woofed once and she heard his nails click on the wood before he went off to explore whatever it was he found interesting. Maybe he'd come back with a rabbit, but she doubted it. Jake liked to chase them, not hunt them.

"Okay, Father," she said to the crisp mountain air. "I'm up. What am I supposed to do?"

Images of Sam and Simon flickered into her mind and her heart began to pound. They must be in danger and in need of prayer. She closed her eyes and prayed, yet she sensed for one of them, it was already too late.

-

The bodies of General Landry, Silar and Reynolds were wrapped in blankets and placed in the corner of the clinic. Jack winced as he looked at them. He knew the pain of loss himself and understood Carolyn's anguish. Although Sarah was in heaven, he had no idea if his own parents were.

He pushed the thought aside and went to look for Laira. The sooner the three soldiers were buried the better.

Jack found her near the pond sitting with Gavin. She was talking earnestly with his son and he stopped to watch the two of them. Wind gently tugged at Laira's hair and she was smiling at something Gavin said. In his chubby hands was some sort of creature. He wasn't sure but it looked like a frog.

"Hi," he greeted, sitting down with them

Laira offered him a warm smile, although he didn't miss the understanding look in her eyes. She knew he was hurting from the loss of his friends.

"Hi," she said back. "Gavin, you should release the frog now."

Gavin gave a huge sigh and made a great show of releasing the amphibian. It hoped away and landed in the water with a faint plop.

"Gavin," Jack said. "Why don't you go find Uncle Daniel?"

"Okay." The little boy got up, gave him a huge hug and trotted off toward Daniel and Vala's home.

"He misses his mother," Laira told him.

"I miss her too."

"I know." Her hand rested on top of his. "It won't be long before you see her again."

"Not soon enough." He pulled his hand away and rubbed his face. Did his hair have more gray in it now? He shook his head. That shouldn't be important right now.

"I have a spot picked out for your friends."

He dropped his hands, giving her a weary smile. "Thanks."

"It was the least I could do."

He released a popping breath. "God," he prayed out loud, "how many more are we going to lose before You return?"

-

Master Bra'tac strolled through the camp, stopping to help any who needed it to set up their tents. He approved of the valley Laira, the leader of the human colony, had chosen.

Hills rose embracing them into a lush area with a steady stream near the center. Tall trees were at one end, while yellow and white flowers danced on the slopes.

"A good place," one of women complimented.

"It is," he agreed. Bra'tac was sad as well. The humans had lost three of their fighting comrades in the effort to get the Jaffa to safety. He would need to go back to express his condolences and honor their dead.

It was the right and honorable thing to do.

-

"I'm waiting," Carpathia brayed, the gun still pointed at Simon.

Sam bit her lip and her eyes turned imploringly to her husband.

He shook his head again. "I know where I'm going. It's okay, Sam. Don't help him."

"I grow tired of this." The world leader lowered the angle of his arm and fired. Simon yelped as the bullet nicked his arm.

Sam screamed.

Blood oozed through Simon's shirt. "Just a scratch," he gritted out, as his other hand closed over the wound to stop the bleeding.

"Next time," Carpathia continued, "I'll kill him."

"Sam," Simon's tone warned, shaking his head.

Tears leaked from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. Angrily, she brushed them away. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

Their captor chuckled, his narrow face holding a gloating expression. "No. You don't."

-

Jake wandered back and sat beside Jenny. She hugged the dog, burying her face in his short fur. He smelled wet and he gave her a lick as if trying to comfort her.

"First they're captured," she told him. "Then," she gulped. "God told me one of them is going to die, but I don't know which!"

She started crying. It was so unfair! They should have been safe on another planet. How could this have happened!

"Jenny?"

She looked up and saw Shane standing there. He sat down, not trying to move the dog.

"What's wrong?"

She hugged the dog even harder. She felt Jake's muscles tense and she released him. He dashed away as if the emotion she expressed was too much for him. Jenny buried her face in her hands and cried. She felt Shane's arms around her and his warm body next to her. He was both comforting and not.

"When you're ready," he whispered against her hair.

-

Hours later, Sam fidgeted with the crystals, trying to get them back into their proper places. The hit had made a mess, shattered much, and even if she succeeded in getting some of the damage repaired, she doubted the ship would be able to make the jump into hyperspace.

If she failed, Simon would die.

She sniffed, trying not to cry again. There was another half hour of air and she needed to get as much done as possible before going back through the air lock.

_Please, God,_ she silently prayed. _Protect Simon and our unborn child._

There _was_ some radiation in the room. She could hear the ticks on her suit's Geiger counter. So far however, it had stayed well below the danger level. Maybe the vacuum of space had removed much of it and what little remained was on various structures.

Sam hoped that was the case. Otherwise, and it made her sick to think of it, her baby wouldn't have a chance of being born normal.

-

"Dr. Keller?"

Jennifer glanced up from her desk. Her lunch was spread over the surface and she'd been indulging in some catch-up reading from the latest medical journals. "Yes?"

The soldier looked uneasy, like he thought he was disturbing her. "Got a message from the Apollo. His Excellency wanted you to know that he has a special prisoner he wants you to take care of once they return."

Her stomach knotted and she was almost afraid of just 'who' that might be. "I understand." She nervously asked, "Did he say who?"

Glancing behind him the young man nodded. "Colonel Samantha Carter."

"Thank you."

He touched his forehead in a half salute and pivoted out. Jennifer released her breath and glanced around her small office. She felt enclosed, trapped, like an animal with its back against a cliff and a predator slowly advancing to attack.

"Are you real God?" she breathed, hoping so. She'd been reading a lot about Him in the Bible she'd found, late at night when no one could see. "Please, help me."

-

Removing the helmet, Sam took a deep breath of filtered ship's air. It smelled better than what had been circulating inside the suit.

"Well?" Carpathia demanded.

"There's damage to the crystals and to the hyperdrive."

"You repaired it of course." His tone told her he'd accept no other answer.

"I've done what I can. Whether or not the ship can withstand the pressures," she shrugged, "I have no idea. It's in God's hands."

He sneered at her.

"Now that I've done my part," she said as she unhooked the latches of the suit, "I expect you to keep your part of the bargain."

"Oh, I intend to."

She heard the shot and clumsily whirled. Sam saw the shocked expression her husband's face and the almost slow-motion action of his body falling to the deck. Blood oozed from the neat hole in his forehead, creeping across the metal bulkhead behind him.

"You—!" She didn't say the word she wanted to. As fast as she could she shed the remainder of the suit, tossing it aside.

Sam dropped to her knees beside her husband, knowing it was useless even as her fingers sought a pulse at the side of his neck. There was none, of course. Her wail echoed from the metal walls and she embraced Simon's body. She hadn't even been given the chance to say goodbye.

"Why!"

"I don't need him." There was a moment of silence, and then a frustrated noise. "Enough." Rough hands dragged her away and she tried to fight against them. "You must think of your baby."

Her fists beat against Carpathia. "Let me go!"

"I think not." His head turned to face someone who must have just come in. "_Now_, Terry."

She felt the sting of a needle against her neck and fought against the darkness as it slowly descended.

-

"How's Jenny?" Woolsey asked Shane.

The young man sighed and shook his head. "Not good. She's pretty upset."

"I understand." The older man had been through loss himself. He still missed Lige Henry and even the cat, Leli.

Shane stared into his cup. Richard wondered if the coffee was still hot or had gotten cold. "There's not much I can do for her."

"Grief is a private thing. It's different for every person."

"Been there."

No doubt Shane had been. They'd all lost friends and family. Richard reached out and touched the younger man's shoulder briefly. "Give her time."

"I will." Shane moved away, putting his cup in the area where they washed the dishes.

Woolsey's eyes drifted to the window where Jenny stood. She'd refused breakfast. The young woman looked almost innocent in the sun's soft light, yet even he could see the pain etched on her face and the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Shane moved up beside Jenny and she leaned against him. A part of Woolsey envied them and another feared for them.

"Oh, Father," he prayed, "how many more will be lose before You return?"

-

"Why didn't you let me say goodbye?" Sam moaned at God. She'd been asking the same question for what must have been several days. When she'd awakened she'd found herself back in her cell. Terry came in to check on her every few hours. Probably to make certain Sam didn't try to harm herself. Not that she would.

Her hand drifted to the slight bulge. A flutter tickled her stomach and she smiled in spite of her pain. "At least you're alright…"

The exams had proven the baby had suffered no damage. Or at least, none that Terry could detect. Sam hoped they were right.

Pain rippled through her heart again and she curled into a ball. She cried so hard she thought her body would shatter.

Much later, spent, she drifted off into sleep, the loss of her husband haunting her even in her dreams.

-

Earth filled the main viewing window and Carpathia was thrilled to be back. The ship shuddered slightly as it had through most of the flight home. Still, he was home and he needed to have a few words with those who had failed to accomplish the mission he'd ordered a few days before.

"Beam me immediately to New Babylon, Colonel."

"At once, Excellency." Howe motioned to the officer in charge.

"And send Colonel Carter to Stargate Command."

"Yes, sir." He could see the brief questioning look on the officer's face. No doubt Howe wondered why. After all, it might make it easier for her fellow traitors to collect her. But that, was what Carpathia was counting on.

Light flashed around the world leader and he was back in New Babylon. He gathered his council and berated them for their failed missile launch to find water near Petra.

Abruptly, shouting and busting glass penetrated the meeting and he glared at the rude interruption. Pounding feet sounded in the hallway, and there were screams of pure panic.

"Now what," he muttered, as his eyes uneasily glanced heavenward.

-

"Jack," Daniel called.

O'Neill turned slowly to face his friend, who was trying to hurry toward him. Today they were burying Landry, Silar, and Reynolds. "Thought you were coming to the grave side later," Jack said as Dr. Jackson joined him.

"We're getting reports in from our teams." Daniel took a couple of breaths to steady himself. "Oceans are steaming, the temperature is up, and any of those wearing Carpathia's mark are bursting into flame."

"What?" Jack shook his head in confusion, not quite sure what he'd just been told.

"The next plague has hit."

"At least we're safe here." Or at least O'Neill hoped so. After what had happened to his three friends at the gate, he wasn't sure.

"This planet is a sanctuary. The wormhole wasn't."

"Was that the final theory you egg heads came up with?" He couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"It's an educated guess, Jack."

"You're betting all our lives on it."

"I'm believing God to protect us. Besides," Daniel hobbled beside Jack, using his cane. "From what I'm hearing, Believers are unaffected."

"Good to know, I guess."

"It's a good time to move any supplies to those few pockets who refused to come here."

Jack sighed. "You're right."

Daniel smiled. "Every once in awhile."

-

Terry dragged Sam from her cell and tossed her into the beam of light as it expanded to engulf her. The next moment she was standing in the SGC, surrounded by GC soldiers pointing guns at her.

"That isn't necessary," a woman said as she pushed past two of the soldiers. She gave Sam a friendly smile. "I'm Dr. Jennifer Keller. If you'd come with me, please?"

She vaguely remembered the woman as having once been a part of the Atlantis mission. How or when the doctor had returned to Earth, Sam had no idea.

Keller took Sam's arm and led her away from the menacing guns. "Sorry about that. I told the base commander it wasn't necessary, but she insisted."

"There's a woman in charge?"

Jennifer nodded. "Somebody from the IOA Carpathia appointed."

"I'm surprised she wasn't there to greet me herself."

Keller tossed her a surprised look. "You don't know?"

Sam gave the other woman a blank look.

"There's a crisis going on. A heat wave is killing hundreds, burning everything in its path, and the polar ice caps are melting." A drop of water hit the doctor's brown hair. "Not to mention the annoying habit this place has of raining on you."

It was a little known fact that water seeped through the rock and caused it to rain inside the mountain. From time to time the moisture was known to cause mechanical problems.

"How deep is the water?"

"Enough. Many of the coastal cities have been evacuated."

Sam's eyes drifted to the mark of loyalty on Keller's forehead. The woman might be friendly but she was clearly allied with the enemy.

The doctor seemed to know what she was thinking. "Not everything is what it seems." Indiscreetly she wiped at the mark, turning her hand so Sam could see the ink. She then put it into her pocket. "Here we are." Keller unlocked a door in the corridor and ushered Carter inside. "If there is anything you need, please alert the guard, who should be here momentarily. I'll be back every few days to give you a check up." She grimaced. "Seems His Excellency is very interested in the welfare of your child."

"I know." She was frightened what that could mean.

"We'll talk later." Keller left.

Taking a moment to look over the room, Sam realized it was the quarters she'd used while at the SGC. The bed had covers on it and she opened the drawers of the dresser to discover several changes of clothes. There was even a bathroom attached, although it looked like it had been recently added. She assumed it was to make sure she had very few chances to escape.

"At least they wanted to make sure I was comfortable." She sank down on the bed and sighed. The next few months were going to very long and lonely, although it seemed she had an ally the GC knew nothing about.

-

"Sir!" A tech looked up from his station.

Howe turned leisurely in his command chair. They were back in orbit around Earth and there should be nothing to be concerned about. "Yes?"

"We're getting reports from the ground about burning cities, boiling blood and people bursting into flame."

"Has anyone from New Babylon confirmed the reports?"

"Not yet."

"Then do so!" He barked.

The Apollo was just coming out of Earth's shadow and sun's full rays began hitting the vessel. Howe frowned. He swore the front wavered, like the temperature was too much for the metal and the shield.

"I'm getting no reply from New Babylon," the tech worriedly reported.

"Keep trying."

Light crept across the deck, a scorch mark following its advance. Howe rose, his heart beginning to speed up and the instinct that had saved his life so many times kicking in.

"Full back!" He ordered. "We have to get back in Earth's shadow!"

The bridge crew hurried to comply. Yet the ship responded too slowly because of her battle damage. Her engines groaned before sputtering to a stop.

Helplessly, Howe watched his ship warp and melt, bursting into flame before the death of vacuum claimed them all.


	89. God's Plan?

Note from Dragonlots : It's not often I get the next chapter done so quickly. I plotted this one out during work one night and managed to get it written within a couple of days. Since I'm participating in NaNoWriMo through out November, it might be the following month before I get the next written.

Everyone have a fun Turkey day!

Left Behind SG1

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 89 : God's Plan?

Jake barking woke Woolsey. The older man stretched and grimaced at the various aches in his body; sleeping on the floor didn't really agree with him. However, with the absence of mattresses he didn't have much choice.

He glanced around. The teens were all still asleep, oblivious to the dog's barks. "Great," he mumbled, pulling himself up. Tossing a log on the fire, he moved to the front door to find out what had Jake so upset.

The dog jumped back as Richard opened the double doors. He blinked, startled at the very bright light. All around their valley grass and trees were withering and several rabbits dashed for cover under the various abandoned houses.

Stepping outside, Woolsey put out an arm. The warm rays touched him but did nothing else.

"Hmmm," he reached down and scratched Jake's head. "Must be another plague."

Oddly enough, the plateau on which the ghost town stood was unaffected. The mountain beyond glowed an eerie golden yellow, the crackles of the flames echoing across the broad canyon. He glanced back toward the road, wondering if the hills beyond were burning.

On the rim a fire swirled, dancing away from the town. He could see the black smoke rising from the other side and was relieved it seemed their hiding place was spared.

"Thank you, God," he breathed.

Jake barked again, his eyes intently watching something and his tail wagging furiously.

"What?" Richard shaded his eyes with his hand and started. Standing on the hill was a huge being dressed in white chain mail. From the studded belt a sword hung. It was barefoot and had huge almost downy wings attached to its shoulders.

"An angel?" he croaked out, terrified.

The being turned its head toward Woolsey and nodded, moving its hand as if directing the flames away from the town.

Richard was suddenly sitting with Jake licking his face. He shook his head and looked again at the hill. There was nothing there.

"Thank you, God," he whispered again, completely awed.

* * *

Chang had the communications room totally to himself. It had been moved to the basement due to the intense sunlight and heat. He'd spent part of his day, which no one else he worked with could, helping Chloe and Rayford move supplies around for the rest the Christians. They needed to stock up to survive for the rest of the Tribulation.

Now, he had another duty to perform and a part of him wanted to sing and shout. As the inside operative in the heart of New Babylon he often listened in on Carpathia to find out what the world leader was up to. Luckily for him, the Potentate thought him a loyal member since he bore both the mark of the believer and that of the Anti-Christ. The latter having had been forced on him against his will years before.

He sat down at the com desk and dialed Carpathia's office. "Excellency," he tried to sound sad.

"Yes, what is it?" the other snapped at him.

"I have some unfortunate news."

A heavy sighed echoed over the line. "Well?"

"The plane carrying the head of the SGC was engulfed in flames over the Atlantic. It's assumed there are no survivors."

There was a great huff. "I will appoint a new leader."

Not that Chang needed to know that. "Also," and he waited a moment, enjoying the sense of power, "the Apollo is gone. Its pieces will be raining down for the next couple of days."

The words Carpathia used would have caused the most calloused seaman to blush. Chang held the phone away from and pointed it at the wall. He would have sworn it shivered.

Dead air replaced the swearing and Chang hung up. He only wished he could tell the others in the Trib Force what he knew, yet he knew had to keep it secret. They'd find out when Christ returned.

He grinned. What a reunion it was going to be!

* * *

Carpathia stomped outside wearing only his briefs. He stared at the sky and swore at God.

"My flagship!" he roared, indignant over the loss. Now he couldn't prance all over the stars as was his right.

If it weren't for the fact that ruling several planets appealed to him, giving him such intense power, he would shut down the SGC and confine his rule to Earth only.

He didn't want that. He wanted it all.

* * *

They stood near the spot where General Hammond had been buried. Three holes had been dug and wrapped bodies lay on the ground next to them.

Jack kind of wished Carolyn had stayed at the clinic. She looked so pale, and she clung to her husband's arm. Daniel and Vala were there as well. Her father and his wife weren't. They were looking after the children. He vaguely wondered if they liked the fact they were having another grandchild and he mourned that Landry wouldn't know his.

Although, a part of his brain said that wasn't right. Landry and the others would be back in a little over a year when Christ returned.

He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the words Daniel was speaking. Laira placed her hand on Jack's arm, squeezing it slightly. It was her way of saying she understood.

"We know that they will return to us," Daniel said. "When Christ returns with all those we have lost."

_And many others we won't know,_ Jack added. Part of him wondered who else he might be reunited with that he hadn't known were Christians.

"I don't want to sound like a broken recording." A faint smile touched Daniel's lips.

His words caused a few subdued laughs.

"We will mourn their loss but we know they are not gone from us. Paul said in Thessalonians we shouldn't carry on like the unbelievers. We have hope. That hope will soon be with us."

Carolyn sniffled and Jack watched her husband put a comforting arm around her.

"But he didn't tell us not to mourn." Daniel leaned heavily on the cane. Jack wondered if his friend was in pain. "General Landry, Silar, and Reynolds will be missed by us all. Still, we can take comfort in the fact they are now with God."

A deep silence filled the area. Not even the wind rustled.

Daniel said a prayer and then almost as one the group moved away from the site except for the burial detail.

"I have food prepared," Laira said.

Seemed every culture did that, Jack mused. Not that Carolyn or any of the others would feel much like eating.

"We need you," Laira continued. She tucked her arm around his. "I know you are sad. I've walked this path with you twice before."

He nodded. "Thank you." Almost, he wished he could offer her more.

"It's okay, Jack." She smiled up at him, her hair glowing in the sunlight. "I am here for you as your friend."

"Reading my mind," he teased.

She shook her head. "You forget that I had time to get to know you."

"I remember."

The group was back in the village and there were several tables laden with food. Jack's stomach rumbled and it surprised him.

"You need to eat." Laira ladled out some soup and gave it to him. She pointed at a vacant spot on the bench. "Sit."

"Yes, Ma'am." He winked and did as she said.

As he ate he watched Laira wait on everyone, making sure they had something to eat. She stopped to talk with Carolyn, who reluctantly accepted some soup. The dark haired doctor sipped at it, making a face. Either she didn't like it or being pregnant it didn't agree with her.

"How are you doing, Jack?" Daniel sat down next to him. For the first time Jack saw some wrinkles around his friend's eyes and a bit of gray in his hair.

"I'm glad we don't have much longer to wait."

Daniel nodded. "Me, too."

"Where's Vala?" He would have expected her to be with her husband.

"Checking on Kelana and Gavin."

"That's where I should be."

Daniel placed a staying hand on Jack's shoulder. "You need to be here right now. With Landry gone everyone is going to look to you as our new military leader."

"But you're our leader!"

"Spiritual leader, Jack. Organizational, too. But Landry gave orders to the military. That's your job now, General."

Jack huffed and nodded. Daniel was right. He was the highest ranking soldier now. "I don't like it."

"I know. " Daniel leaned close so only Jack could hear his next words. "We have a great deal to do over the next several months. I'm going to depend on you to make sure as many of us as possible survive until Christ returns."

"Might not be God's plan."

"I'm aware of that." Daniel's eyes roamed over the group. "But Lord willing, it's part of mine."

* * *

"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Keller asked as she entered Sam's room.

"Tired. Hungry. Cranky." She eased off the bed.

"All to be expected." The other woman smiled warmly at her. "Ready to take a peek at junior?"

"Hope that doesn't mean messy gel and slimy coldness."

Jennifer laughed. "No. No ultra sound. I have something better."

"Really?"

"Uh, huh." She opened the door. "If you'd come with me." The doctor ushered Sam out the door. A solder stood there and followed them back to the medical area. He stopped right outside the exam room and Keller closed the door.

"At least he isn't allowed inside." Sam was relieved.

"I wouldn't allow it. Doctor-patient privilege." Jennifer pointed at the paper-covered, padded table. "If you'd take a seat."

Sam sat down and waited. The doctor pulled out a large panel and rolled it over. "This came from Atlantis."

"What is it?"

"Ever watch Star Trek?"

Sam shook her head.

"It's a type of scanner. It will allow me to take a look at the baby without the mess and discomfort of an ultra sound."

Quickly Keller set it up and it hummed on. Images appeared on it. Sam wasn't really sure what they all meant but the doctor seemed to understand them.

"Your baby is healthy."

"Are you sure?"

The doctor cast a surprised look at Sam. "Yes."

"No birth defects? No sign of radiation poisoning?" Sam bit her lip. She hadn't meant to tell Keller that much.

"None at all." Jennifer frowned. "Why? What happened on the Apollo?"

Taking a deep breath, Sam hesitated before telling the doctor what had happened. She didn't really know if she could trust Keller, but talking about it helped.

"That…." Keller stopped. "I knew he was heartless."

"You have no idea to what extent."

With a glance toward the door Jennifer sat down and spoke. "I shouldn't tell you this, but the Apollo blew up."

"So it's gone?" Sam was relieved. Granted, there were still the stargates, but knowing Jack and the others wouldn't have to worry about a surprise attack because of the ship, eased some of the worry from her mind.

"Pieces have been raining down for a couple of days." Keller giggled. "Official story is that one of the satellites collided with a meteor." She paused, lowering her voice. "Head of the SGC is dead as well. Seems her plane had a little accident over the Atlantic."

"Who's the new leader?" If it was someone Sam knew, she might have a chance to escape.

"Seems this sun business is keeping everyone indoors and underground so no choice has been made by Carpathia."

That could also work to Sam's to advantage. Since Dr. Keller seemed to be talkative she asked, "Why didn't you stay at Atlantis?"

Keller sighed, rolling the panel away and took a chair. "There was a seminar I wanted to attend in Denver and Dr. Beckett agreed to let me go. The main speaker was delayed and it ran late. The Deadalus had already jumped for the Pegasus galaxy when I got back here."

Sam knew they'd lost contact with Atlantis early during the Tribulation. More than once she'd wondered what had happened to everyone.

"The Deadalus never came back, as I'm sure you know."

The soldier nodded. They'd been very clever about their excuses.

"I stayed on." Keller got up. "I'm sure the guard outside is getting antsy. Let's get you back to your room and I'll order you a nice healthy lunch. How does that sound?"

Her stomach growled and Sam decided she needed to eat. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Keller hesitated. "I'll eat with you if you don't mind." She bit her lip. "I have some…questions…I'd like answered."

Curious, Sam asked, "About what?"

Keller mouthed, 'God.'

* * *

Keeping busy helped ease the pain. Jack knew that from long experience. He stood next to Daniel and aided in arranging various off-world missions. With the sun's heat keeping the GC inactive except at night, it was the ideal time to make sure other pockets of Christians around the galaxy had food, water and other needed supplies.

Jack had divided up the soldiers and made the assignment. He stood by the gate watching them go through, laden with the backpacks and carrying boxes.

"It never gets any easier," he mumbled to himself as the gate sizzled off. The groups would be gone for several hours. Hopefully, they'd all come back.

With nothing to do he sauntered down the dirt road. Gavin was spending the day with Laira planting in the fields. He knew his son remembered his mother, Sarah, yet there were times when his friend so filled the role, it hurt Jack's heart.

"Was this how she was with our daughter, Lord?" he asked.

Water gurgled nearby and Jack went for a walk along the pond. Several frogs hopped off, landing with squishy plops in the water. Lily pads floated on the surface and several pairs of eyes stared resentfully at him.

"Yeah, I know how you feel."

Finally, he sat down on the dirt, not carrying if his uniform pants got dusty. There was no reason for tight discipline or keeping everything 'ship-shape'. Just a respect for the chain of command and that meant answering to Daniel first and then him.

Quite a change from their early days as an SGC team, Jack reflected. Much had changed. Almost too much.

Hammond was gone. Landry, too. Sarah. Cassie. Teal'c. He shook his head. The list went on and on. It might even include Sam and Simon now. Jack had no way of knowing. They hadn't heard anything and Daniel had been firm about obeying God and not rescuing them.

"I hope you have a plan, God, because so help me…" But he didn't finish. He didn't need to. He knew God understood.

* * *

Her baby was fine! Sam was so relieved. She sat on the bed and glanced through a book Dr. Keller had given her after lunch and their talk. The two women had carefully kept the conversation general while they searched the room for any hidden listening devices.

Oddly enough, there hadn't been any. That made Sam wonder and almost uneasy. Or maybe they didn't think her much of a risk and therefore had no need to spy on her.

She stopped on a page. It had some pictures and lots of explanations. _Might as well read it. It's not like I have anything else to do. Besides. It beats the filth that's on the TV._

Sam had surfed through the channels the first day she'd been there. The programming was so, so…she couldn't even find the words for it. It was like all goodness had fled and left depravity behind. She didn't even listen to the news. Hearing how Carpathia exalted himself was more than she could take.

One thing Sam did know. Keller was an ally, if not overtly. The woman did have to stay undercover, after all. But what had been shared earlier she hoped was the beginning of a bond between them. Jennifer Keller was curious and Sam read a subtle spiritual hunger growing in the doctor.

"Please, Father," she prayed. "Let it grow and let me bring one more to your throne."

* * *

A couple of weeks after the sun plague started, Jenny and Shane stood holding hands in front of what had once been a church. Their friends all stood around with Woolsey smiling like a proud father. Jake sat next to him, tail busy cleaning the dust off the ground.

In the background the burnt pines made a bleak backdrop yet the soft fluffy clouds racing across the blue sky softened the image.

Jennifer stood in her jeans and nicest top, her black long hair flowing across her shoulders. Shane wore jeans as well and a top he borrowed from one of the other young men.

"In Colorado," Woolsey said, "a couple can be married by a preacher, or jump over a broom, or marry themselves." He smiled. "Since we don't have a preacher and I haven't seen a broom anywhere, Jennifer and Shane have decided on the latter."

The couple looked nervously at each other.

Shane spoke first. "Jennifer, I've loved you for a long time. I want to love you until Christ returns and hopefully long after that. Will you…take me as your husband?"

Jennifer felt her cheeks burn and a tear started to leak down her cheek. "I will." It was her turn. "Shane, I do love you and will for all the time we have together. Will you take me as your wife?"

"I will."

They giggled self-consciously. "Guess that means we're married," Shane said, and pulled Jennifer to him and kissed her.

"Yeah," she breathlessly replied. "It does." Her eyes held the promise of the deeper love they'd share later. "And believe me I won't let you forget it!"

Their friends erupted in cheer and said their congratulations. Woolsey beamed. Jake barked.

They shared a small feast and there were toasts. There wasn't a cake, but that was okay. Jenny knew they had all they needed.

Later in the evening, the couple retired to the room Woolsey and the others had made up for them on the second floor. It seemed strange to Jenny to be a bit shy around Shane. He was awkward too.

Deep in the night, Jennifer woke from a vivid dream. She turned over to touch her husband's shoulder.

"Shane, wake up. I had a dream."

He started awake. "Yeah, me too."

"What did you dream?" She curled into the corner of his arm.

"I saw us in Colorado Springs near Cheyenne Mountain."

"I saw the same thing."

"Do you think that means we're supposed to go back there?'

"I don't know." Her fingers wandered across his chest. "I think we need to talk to Woolsey in the morning."

"Yeah." He kissed her. "Let's get some sleep."

"You really want to sleep?"

He laughed. "No." He kissed her deeply and Jennifer forgot about everything else for a long, long while.

* * *

Woolsey woke to the crackling fire and a dream clinging to his conscious mind. The meaning was clear and although he didn't understand the 'why', he'd learned that following God didn't mean you always needed to know the answer.

"Yes, Lord," he obediently said, before closing his eyes with the intent of going back to sleep. Jake however, prevented that. The dog nudged Richard.

"Alright, fine." He got up and let the dog outside.

Darkness rested on the plateau. The trees looked like huge spidery limbs against the darkness and the sliver of moonlight.

Jake returned and the two went back to bed.

For a long, long time, Woolsey lay awake, wondering what returning to Colorado Springs would mean.


	90. Bittersweet

Note from Dragonlots: Been a crazy few weeks with job hunting, tutoring children, family holiday celebrations, not to mention pro writing deadlines. I've had two more stories accepted. The first 'Smothered' will be included in the anthology 'Earth's End', and 'Mandie's Zombies' in 'Women of the Living Dead'. Both will be coming from Open Casket Press.

I'm also editing an anthology called 'Time Traveling Coffers' for WolfSinger Publications. If interested in submitting a story, contact me via email and I'll send you a copy of the guidelines. WSP also has my next book, 'God's Gift'. It features some original characters I used in LB:SGA, Lawrence 'Larry' Henry and his family. I also have a query letter and synopsis in to the Love Inspired Suspense line from Harlequin. I'm also waiting to hear back about several other submissions.

Left Behind : SG1

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 90 : Bittersweet

Late at night was the hardest for Sam. She rolled on her side with a tired groan, her hand automatically reaching for Simon. Closing her fingers into a fist, she let the tears silently roll down her cheeks. She missed him. Missed him terribly.

Unable to sleep anymore, Sam sat up and pressed her small bulge. Her baby was healthy and growing at the normal rate according to Dr. Keller.

Part of her feared the birth of her child. Carpathia had threatened to take her baby and raise it himself. She had no idea what to do to prevent it.

_What a horrible fate. Please, Lord. Don't let that happen._

Alone and in the dark, she felt a reassuring presence wrap itself about her. She sighed and relaxed, allowing God to comfort her in this unusual and personal way.

* * *

Chang enjoyed working with Chloe. They were frantically moving equipment and supplies around so that the few Christians who were still alive would have what they needed to get through the final year or so until Christ returned.

He signed off his screen and glanced around the empty com room. Everyone else was still below hiding from the deadly sun. Carpathia, on the other hand, had been outside sunbathing and he'd heard an order given to put up a telescope so the inhuman man could look at the sun.

"Most of us would burn our eyes out if we tried that." Chang chuckled and shook his head. The order was no stranger than anything else the world leader had demanded. He couldn't wait until the Anti-Christ was dealt with.

But for now, he'd listen in and see what the outcome of the sun viewing was when it was finally set up.

* * *

"Nice house," Shane commented as he settled down on a brown couch.

"Very," Jennifer agreed as she sat beside her husband.

Woolsey puttered around the kitchen. Jennifer could hear clanking noises. Finally, he entered the living room carrying a plate of sandwiches. The young people both took one.

"Never thought peanut butter and jelly would taste so good," Shane said. He took a huge bite.

Jennifer smiled and watched as Woolsey sat down. They ate in silence, the smell of their lunch permeating the room

"You didn't have to come with us," she said to the older man.

"Yes, I did." He grabbed his water bottle and sipped the warm contents. "God told me to, remember?"

A week earlier the three had left Gilman. To Jennifer, it had been a bittersweet departure, but no one questioned God's direction. Woolsey had left Jake with one of the girls. "Not safe for him to be with us," he'd said. She hadn't missed the wipe at his cheek as they'd driven out of town and down the mountain in the old beat up orange truck.

There hadn't been any obstacles, thanks to the latest plague. They'd had the roads to themselves since everyone was hiding from the sun. Even the drive through Denver had been without incident. Finding a safe place in Colorado Springs had taken some doing, since many of the houses had been destroyed either by the quake a few years back or were now burned out hulls due to fires.

Dark began to fall and Shane hurried about, closing the blinds on the many large windows. Jenny pitched in while Woolsey cleaned up the kitchen. When they finished, the couple cuddled together on the couch again.

"Better than where we slept last night," Shane commented. He pulled Jennifer closer.

"Agreed." They'd been house hopping for the past few days, trying to stay one step ahead of the GC. For some reason, the authorities seemed to be searching the abandoned houses.

"Master bedroom is through those doors." Woolsey pointed to the closed double doors.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Jennifer asked.

"Basement. I checked earlier. There's another bedroom down there."

"They had cats." Jennifer hadn't missed the food bowls by the kitchen door.

"Or perhaps a dog." Woolsey cleared his throat. "I saw a leash hanging by the door."

"Both?" she suggested.

"Could be." The older man stretched. "It's been a long day. I'm going to get some sleep."

"Night," they called as he descended the stairs.

"Alone at last." Shane smiled and kissed her.

"We'll have to be quiet."

His face sobered. "Yeah." He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. They watched night fall as they sat together on the huge bed, leaning back against the pillows, her head on his shoulder. Her husband was 'home' for her. And home for them both, was wherever the other was.

They finally scooted under the purple bedspread and fell asleep.

All through the night Jennifer kept waking up, afraid the creaking sounds she heard were the GC. They never were, yet the threat hung over them.

"Go back to sleep," her husband grumped.

"I wonder if we'll ever be safe again."

"Life never was safe," he reminded her.

"I know."

Shane spoke the truth. Life had no guarantees and she never knew from one moment to the next if she'd still be alive. It was just that, now, it was much more frightening, even if she knew that after her last moment, she'd be with Christ.

It was what led up to her final moment that frightened Jenny.

* * *

A soft breeze scampered through the door and chased a bit of dust across the floor. Jack smiled as Gavin and Kelana chased it and then each other. The girl's happy screams made the general's heart light and he smiled at the children's game.

"You're better." Laira sat beside him. Her hand lightly touched his arm.

"Than I thought I'd be, at least." The losses they'd sustained had drained Jack to a point where he hadn't wanted to go on. There was still no official word about Sam and Simon. Their fate concerned him. Surely, if Carpathia had them, he'd find a way to use it to his advantage. Maybe even try to entice the rest of SG-1 out of hiding.

"It's good to have children in the house." Laira's son and his new wife had moved to a new settlement since the original one was now overflowing with people. So had many others inhabitants.

Jack squeezed her hand, understanding her feelings of loss. "They'll be fine."

"I know." Laira got up and stirred their dinner. The smell of the stew filled the room.

Jack glanced outside. Daniel and Vala had gone to the Tok'ra encampment. Jacek and Adria had wanted some time to themselves, so he'd agreed to babysit Kelana. Besides, Gaven pretty much thought of the little girl as his sister.

"Wish I'd had more children," he mumbled, before remembering the two who were already with the Lord. "Sorry," he apologized to God.

"I'm sure God understands." Laira smiled as Gavin and Kelana played hide and seek under the table.

"It's just so hard." Jack swallowed. "First, I lose my son to an…an accident." A part of him still felt responsible for the way Charlie had died. "And then to learn I had a daughter I never got to meet."

"Soon, you will get to meet her." Laira sat beside him again.

"But I've missed so much already."

"It's alright, Jack." She kissed his cheek.

"No, it isn't."

"What does that verse say, about everything turning out for good for those of us in Christ?"

"Yeah, I know." Knowing and really living the truth of God's word were two different things.

"We all grow." She laughed. Gavin had tagged Kelana and now he was running from the little girl as she tried to catch him.

"Yeah. It's just so hard."

"It always is."

* * *

Tired, Carolyn sat down at her desk. It wasn't as busy at the clinic as it had been. In fact, over the past few days, it had slowed down considerably.

Most of the wounded from the various flights to Edora had healed. She'd released most and they'd gone to the various settlements. There were only a couple still there, but they were well on their way to health thanks to Freya and the Tok'ra, Anise, helping.

The butterfly in her stomach fluttered and she smiled down at the child she was carrying. Their baby would be born just a few months before Christ's expected return. There was no way to know _exactly_ when He would. They could only approximate from the date the seven year peace treaty had been signed.

With a heavy sigh, Carolyn forced herself out of her chair. She'd check on her patients and then sit down to make notes on their charts. She'd also sleep at the clinic since Jar'en was helping out at the Jaffa camp.

She missed her husband. Thankfully, he'd only be gone a couple of days.

* * *

Her hands shook slightly as Jennifer Keller dared to open the forbidden Bible and read a few pages. It was very quiet. Almost eerily so.

The doctor glanced up as someone passed her office, her heart speeding up a bit. There was no knock and no one opened the door.

"Whew!"

Again her eyes sought the words and she wished she could understand what was being said. Her spirit was hungry and she desperately wished she had more excuses to talk with Samantha Carter. Unfortunately, Jennifer knew she and everyone else were being watched.

Carpathia still hadn't announced a new leader for the SGC. She had heard rumors the man had taken to sun bathing in the burning heat. Now whether or not that was true, Jennifer had no idea.

She had first hand seen the results of what had happened to the few who had dared to venture out. It had taken her days to rid her nostrils of the burning stench.

* * *

"It seems strange to live under the sky," Freya said. She motioned to two chairs.

"But refreshing I'd bet." Daniel sat carefully. His leg was throbbing despite the pain medicine Carolyn had insisted he take with him.

"Matter of opinion," Vala commented, as she sat as well. Her growing stomach was becoming a nuisance.

"You lived as a Gou'ald." Freya looked out over her people. Daniel occasionally heard people calling to each other. "You did not have to hide in underground caves."

"No, I didn't."

"Ladies," Daniel interrupted before the underlying argument he sensed erupted. "You have everything you need?" he asked Freya.

"We do." Freya offered him a smile. "Did you travel here to ask me that?"

He chuckled. "I'm checking on all the camps."

"Over my objections." Vala's tone told him exactly how unhappy she was with him.

"I can't stay in one place indefinitely." He'd tired of everyone treating him like an invalid.

Freya frowned and went to a chest. She pulled out a device he knew well and slipped it over her hand.

He tensed. There were too many bad memories attached to the hand device, including the last moments with his first wife, and he had remember that what Freya was holding was the medical version. Not the same thing.

"I am not going to hurt you." From the flashing eyes and odd echoing voice, it was Anise who spoke. She knelt down and the device glowed. For a moment Daniel let himself hope; Vala had tried in the past, of course, but she'd been working with only the remnants of naquidah left in her blood. Freya still had Anise, and therefore more of a chance of actually being able to fix anything.

Briefly he felt warmth in his leg and a faint numbness. Anise withdrew, a frown on her face. "There is too much damage, and it has been there for too long. I…" She shook her head slowly. "I cannot help you."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay."

* * *

Chang would not have wanted to be in the shoes of the poor tech Carpathia had berated earlier. The leader had been out at noon watching the sun. A normal person would have had their eye burnt out and probably garnered brain damage as well.

But then Carpathia was not normal, and his comment about the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him had made Chang's blood run cold – if that were actually possible.

Instead, the leader had made himself sound more god-like and the terrified tech had had to ask for forgiveness for doubting Carpathia.

Chang glanced upward and breathed, "To You goes the glory, Lord!"

* * *

Morning dawned bright and fierce – for those who wore the mark. Jennifer yawned and smiled at her husband, who was still sleeping. She got out of bed and used the shower, which still, oddly enough, worked. There wasn't any hot water, but after having to sponge bathe for so long, it was a luxury.

She tossed on jeans and a top. Padding into the kitchen, she found Woolsey already up and warming some water.

"Thought we could use some coffee." He greeted her with a smile.

"Sounds good." She leaned against the white tiled island. The kitchen wasn't huge, but it was nice. "Wonder who the people were who lived here?"

"Lots of art work, but no family photos." Woolsey pulled some cups out of the oak cupboard. "I took a look around when I got up."

"Interesting art."

The white walls were littered with art depicting unicorns, dragons, and other mythical beasts.

"There's more downstairs." He mixed the water and coffee, offering her a cup.

Jenny took it and sipped the bitter brew. It was hot and the caffeine would help her wake up. "We going to move on?"

"I don't know." Woolsey took a drink, a thoughtful expression on his face. "My guess is we're supposed to go to Cheyenne Mountain."

"We are." She drummed her fingers on her cup. "But I also have the feeling we're a bit early."

"So I wasn't the only one." Moving into the adjoining dining room, he sat down at the dark wood table.

Jennifer joined him. "No. We have some time."

The bedroom door opened and Shane came out toweling his hair dry. "That coffee I smell?"

"On the stove," Woolsey said.

Her husband helped himself and joined them. "What's today's plan?"

"I think we should stay put." Woolsey put his now empty cup on the table.

"But—" Shane began.

"There's a locked gate and that should keep the GC out or at the very least," the older man grinned wryly, "make them think twice."

Jennifer caught the drift of what he meant. "Meaning, they might think no one is here because of it."

"Precisely."

Shane nodded. "Sounds good."

"Yeah…" Jennifer agreed. It would be nice to live in a real house for awhile, rather than a run down hotel, like they had in Gilman.

"We just have to be sure we keep listening to God." Woolsey sounded firm. "Whatever is going to happen, we have to be ready to leave at any time."

"But why Cheyenne Mountain?" Shane wanted to know. "What could possibly be so important?"

"I don't know." Woolsey shrugged got up. "Since the stove still works, how about some bacon and eggs for breakfast?"

* * *

Jake was a smart dog and he had no intention of being left behind. He waited until everyone was asleep and snuck out through an open window, following the vague scent of the human he trusted most now. Many times he lost the smell, but by keeping to the road, he found it again.

Down the steep mountain he traveled, stopping now and again to hunt a rabbit or a mouse. Many times he drank whatever water he could find. Sometimes it was a stream or a bowl he found outside houses empty of inhabitants.

When he got to the city he was careful. There were sometimes jeeps or loud shouting. Even gunfire followed by screams.

In open country again, he walked on happily. Every day brought him closer and the sheer anticipation of the reunion made him run.

Until he got tired, of course. Then he slowed to a walk or found a nice place to sleep.

He had plenty of time to rejoin his human.

* * *

Sam found herself in the examining room again. Dr. Keller ran her normal scan and smiled at the results.

"Everything is fine."

Happy and yet not, Sam nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Keller glanced toward the door. "We have a few minutes."

"My escort doesn't know about your scanner, does he?" Sam had figured that much out. It gave the two women more time to talk.

"No. He's pretty ignorant." She laughed and put Sam's chart aside. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically fine." No need to tell the doctor about missing her husband.

"I was told about your husband." Sam's expression must have given away her thoughts. "I'm sorry." Jennifer's round face reflected her sympathy.

"Wasn't your fault." Sleeping alone was the hardest and the closer it came to the birth of their child, the harder it was becoming. Her heart hurt knowing Simon would never get to hold their baby.

"Want to talk about it?" The doctor sat down and reached out to take Sam's hand.

"No." Sam pulled away from the contact.

"Being emotional is normal."

"So the books you gave to me said."

"Sam…" Keller leaned closer. "I'll help you in any way I can. You know that."

She took the chance. It might be the only one she got. "Then help me find a way to get my baby out of here!"

* * *

**Scenes with Chang adapted from 'The Remnant' by Jenkins and LaHaye.


End file.
